Philadelphia Eagles fall to bottom of ESPN's talented young players under 25 list

On paper, the Philadelphia Eagles' roster is stacked with talent heading into the 2024 season, but there is still a lot to prove. 

That's because a handful of the Eagles' starters are still developing or have yet to play a single snap, which is why ESPN has them ranked at No. 29 on their under-25 talent list. 

The Eagles' young standouts are almost entirely on defense, starting with two linemen: Carter (23) and Jordan Davis (24). Carter faded over the second half of last season but still finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Davis hasn't quite lived up to his potential as the 13th overall pick in 2022 yet, but he's strong against the run.

Safety Sydney Brown started six games as a rookie and may become a starter again once he returns from a torn ACL. The Eagles' cornerbacks include two rookies: Quinyon Mitchell is a bit older at 23, but Cooper DeJean is 21. Behind them are a couple of 23-year-olds from last year's draft class, Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks. The linebackers include Nolan Smith Jr. (23) on the edge and Nakobe Dean (23) in the middle.

For guys like Jalen Carter, Sydney Brown, and Kelee Ringo, and the other second and third-year starters, this year is going to be so important. It's their chance for a breakout year and to have a very impactful season. And if they can't make that Year 2 jump, then that leaves the Eagles with questions and concerns over their future in Philly. 

As for rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, there's a slight grace period of room to grow, but as a first and second-round pick, they can't really afford to mess this year up, and neither can the Eagles' front office after last season's mess. 

This ESPN list shouldn't be too concerning, however, since there has been a lot of early offseason hype around the rookies and new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.