The Texans have been on a swift upward trajectory within the hierarchy of the NFL after back-to-back season of not only making the playoffs, but winning at least postseason game, as well. Their quick turnaround has been spurred on by some serious hits in recent NFL drafts and there’s a specific trio that continues to garner highlights even during the offseason.
In a new set of rankings by Pro Football Focus, analyst Jonathon Macri ranked his top 25 players in the NFL under the age of 25. Of those 25, the Texans landed three players all within the top 13. They are edge rusher Will Anderson (seventh), quarterback C.J. Stroud (12th), and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (13th).
Here’s what Macri had to say about Houston’s batch of young stars:
On Will Anderson
“After being named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, Anderson improved upon his excellent debut season with a top-10 PFF overall grade (88.8) for the position in 2024. His improvement as a pass rusher translated to production, including 14.5 sacks, up from his eight as a rookie.”
“Anderson also improved his run defense in Year 2, cracking the top 10 in PFF run-defense grade (81.1) for the first time in his career.”
Through his first two seasons, Anderson has racked up 18 sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He’s also been named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2023. After seeing so much early success, and at such a premium position in the NFL, it’s no surprise that Anderson comes in so high on this list.
On C.J. Stroud
“Stroud would likely be higher on this list if not for a Year 2 that didn’t quite live up to expectations based on his Offensive Rookie of the Year performance in 2023. But, with that said, Stroud was still very good, finishing as the 11th-highest-graded passer (tied) in 2024.”
“Due to that solid play, and the nature of the position, Stroud ranks behind only Jayden Daniels on this list in average PFF WAR generated over the past three seasons, and it’s worth noting that he did so on a larger sample size. Stroud will turn just 24 years old during the 2025 season, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Year 3 is his best season yet.”
Stroud may have taken a step back as far as his production goes from his rookie campaign to the 2024 season, he still took the Texans to the playoffs and won double-digit games. He’ll need to take his game up another level to get the Texans over the hump, but he’s off to a great start in his NFL career.
On Derek Stingley Jr.
“Stingley endured some struggles and injuries as a rookie in 2022, but over the past two seasons, he has emerged as one of the best cornerbacks in the league — not just among those under the age of 25.”
“The former third-overall pick delivered a top-five PFF coverage grade in 2023 and then finished the 2024 season with the second-best mark, behind only reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II. Stingley also allowed just a 39.6 NFL passer rating when targeted, the best mark in the league in 2024.”
Stingley Jr. got PAID this offseason and he deserved every penny. After notching just one interception as a rookie, he’s gone on to pick off five passes apiece in each of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He’s also batted down 36 passes, including 18 in his most recent campaign. When looking at his numbers, I’m actually surprised Stingley isn’t much higher on this list.