The Stars of the Future: NFL Edition

In this first piece, of a weekly series looking at the decade ahead in every sport, I'm gonna take a deep dive into NFL's future, and look at the greats that will define the 2020's

With the NFL recently dropping the 2010's All Decade list, thought it would be fun to take a look at the players that will dominate the 2020's. This is not an easy task when it come to the NFL considering the volatility of the game, a game that is seeing players like Andrew Luck, and Luke Kuechly retire at a younger age. But the players on this list have shown enough to give me the impression that they will flourish in this decade.

40. Amari Cooper 25, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Its crazy to think that Cooper is still so young, since breaking into the league out of Alabama, he has been ultra productive putting up thousand yard seasons in 4 of his 5 seasons, doing so on a mostly dysfunctional Raiders team. I do not see the production going down for Cooper for a few reasons, first off he may be the best route runner in the game, that is a trait that ages very well with receivers. Lastly the Cowboys are making the effort to lock up Dak Prescott for the foreseeable future, giving him a stable QB that can get him the ball at a respectable rate. The obstacles to Cooper being one of the decades best is a consistent effort level every game day.

39. Taylor Rapp 22, Safety, Los Angeles Rams

Rapp is coming off of stellar rookie season in which he ranked 5th in defensive stops, 8th in pass breakups, and 12th in total tackles, among all safeties with 300 defensive snaps played. The gritty defender has the ability to move between deep safety, strong safety, and box linebacker at times. This versatility will allow the Rams to use him in various different packages, allowing him to stay on the field consistently. Reminds me of the Saints Malcolm Jenkins, if hes able to live up to that billing, he is in for a great career.

38. Jaire Alexander 23, Cornerback, Green Bay Packer

Even tough Alexander is smaller in stature (5-10), he always draws the other teams best competition,and fairs very well. He allowed the 3rd lowest completion percentage, and 2nd best forced incompletion percentage in 2019. He plays both man, and zone very well. With more time to mature, he will only get better at understanding different route combinations, and assessing different offenses shown to him. Its very feasible that he can be an elite corner through the whole decade .

37. Isaiah Simmons 21, Linebacker/Safety, Clemson (2020 Draft Eligible)

We get our first non NFL player on the list, and he is a special talent, one we have not really seen in the past in the league. The Clemson product was used all over the field, mostly at slot, and in the box linebacker, but played snaps at deep safety, wide corner, and even 106 snaps on the defensive line. Not to mention he does all those things well, that type of versatility is just is not seen that much in today game, but it does seem that is where the position of the linebacker is going, and Simmons will be the backer to pioneer it. I see him going to the Giants at the number 4 slot, and anchoring that defense for the next 15 years.

36. Penei Sewell 20, Offensive Tackle, Oregon (2021 Draft Eligible)

A break out season which included an unanimous All American selection as a sophomore, and the all around best offensive lineman in all of college, propelled Sewell into the spotlight, and is now being pegged as the next great offensive lineman. If he were eligible to come out in this years draft, he would probably be a top 3 pick, and the first offensive lineman taken. When protecting Justin Herbert's blind side he only allowed 7 pressures, and zero sacks, that is the type of protection he will offer the QB of the team he gets drafted to in a years time.

35. Michael Thomas 27, Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints

Coming off one of the greatest seasons of all time by a receiver, in which Thomas broke the single season reception record, one can only expect for the Thomas' dominance to continue, as long as Drew Brees is in town at the very least. He did all this with very little weapons opposite of him, allowing defenses to give extra attention to him, and without his Hall of Fame QB for 6 games. Thomas will most certainly always get his work in, but the fact that Brees will be retiring in a few years makes me cautious of putting him closer to the top.

34. Saquon Barkley 23, Running Back, New York Giants

One of the best all purpose running backs currently in the game, Barkley has the ability to take it to the house with any given touch. After being the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 draft, he went on to win Rookie of the Year, with over 2000 total yards from scrimmage. His career 4.8 career rushing yards per attempt is up there with the best through the first two years. Will be interesting to see if the Giants can find creative ways to get him the ball, something that was in issue in 2019.

33. Joey Bosa 24, Defensive End/Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

The first half of the Bosa brothers on this list is no slouch in the pass rushing department as he has accumulated 40 total sacks over the first four seasons. That gives him a trajectory of 100 sacks over the next decade, which is plausible, but with injuries, and aging towards the end of the 2010's i see him at the 80-85 sack range . The abilities that he possesses is a rare package of strength, and explosiveness, along with his ability to play both the run game, and rush the passer, means that Bosa is as elite as they come, and should not slow down anytime soon.

32. DK Metcalf 22, Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks

Consistency is key, and that is exactly what DK will be getting out of the quarterback position over the next decade with Russell Wilson at the helm. Metcalf put up quite the respectable rookie year with 900 yards, and a 15.5 yards per reception average, he also became one of Wilson's favorite receivers, with 100 targets in only his first season. The size he possesses allows him to be physical at the line of scrimmage, and break off of corner jams, a trait valued greatly in goal to go situations. We could be seeing the Wilson-Metcalf connection for years to come.

31. Hunter Henry 25, Tight End, Los Angeles Chargers

What does a young QB love more than a reliable tight end? Nothing that is the answer. With the Chargers on track to draft the potential QB of the future in Herbert, or Tua, a security blanket weapon like Henry has the ability to build a great rapport with a new young QB coming to town. We've seen it with Zach Ertz who was good before Wentz came to town, but he truly blossomed into the elite tier when Carson came to town, I visualize the same situation happening for Henry. The one concern with Henry is his ability to stay healthy, that is something to keep an eye on.

30. Russell Wilson 31, Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks

The age factor did throw me off initially, but than i realized that the two best quarterbacks arguably of the 2010's were in their 30's going into the decade (Brady, Brees), and the fact that quarterbacks are playing well into their 40's now i could not keep him off. So with that said Wilson may be one of the most underrated QB's to ever play in the NFL, extremely accurate, with the ability to place the ball anywhere on the field, especially on deep throws. He leads the NFL in completion, touchdowns, and yards on throws more than 20 yards since entering the league, and with Tyler Lockett, and Metcalf that should only continue, if his own head coach doesn't get in his way that is.

29. Dereck Stingley Jr 19, Cornerback, LSU (2022 Draft Eligible)

If you do not know this kid, then you need to get to know him very quickly, cause he is the NFL's next great lock down corner. Stingley just burst on the scene for the national championship Tigers, as he started immediately as a freshman, and was regarded as the best freshman in the whole country, as well as the best corner in all of college football. His elite coverage skills made it tough on SEC quarterbacks, only allowing a 42% completion percentage into his primary coverage. If Stingley keeps this up he will undoubtedly be a top 3 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

28. Josh Jacobs 22, Running Back, Las Vegas Raiders

The Alabama product came out of the gates running his rookie season in 2019, with 1150 rushing yards, and compiled 4.8 yards per carry, and he did all this in only 13 games. Jacob possesses elite elusiveness, and according to Pro Football Focus he had the highest elusive rating, which combines missed tackles created, and yards after contact, which is a trait that will translate well over the years. Combine that with John Gruden's love for the run game, he will be a great candidate for a top three running back spot this decade.

27. Bradley Chubb 23, Defensive End/Edge, Denver Broncos

Sadly Chubb's sophomore season was cut short by a devastating knee injury, but before that he had an elite level rookie season, that saw him rack up 12 sacks, and 56 pressures, which was 18 more than any other rookie that year. Chubb has a full arsenal of pass rush moves. as he can beat you with his bull rush move or work offensive lineman with the swim, or rip. Paired with the defensive minded coach in Vic Fangio, he can truly unlocked his potential, in a various of different schemes. Chubb does need to work on his run defense though.

26. Deebo Samuel 24, Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

A personal favorite of mine on the list, Deebo played an important role for San Francisco on their run to the Super Bowl, as they almost sealed the deal. The way that he is used in an offense, which is what makes him such a threat, his ability to move from the slot to out wide, and the ability to be used in the run game on jet sweeps is nothing short of amazing. Also he has the ability to create after the play as he averaged 5.8 yards after the catch per reception. Samuel fearlessness to go over the middle also sets him apart from other receivers.

25. Carson Wentz 27, Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles

People quickly forget that Wentz was having one of the best sophomore seasons before his knee injury, and like to disregard everything he does to his injury history. His natural talent is arguably top 3 in the league, as he has the ability to make any throw on the field, and also elevates the talent around him as seen by him willing the Eagles to the playoffs , with multiple receivers, and lineman hurt. Outside of his first season he has thrown for at least 21 touchdowns, and thrown no more then 7 interceptions. For the people that say injuries are a concern you are not wrong, but Matthew Stafford is a great case study as he missed 19 of his first 32 starts, then went on to start 128 straight starts, so Carson can most definitely stay healthy, especially with a great line.

24. Micah Parsons 20, Linebacker, Penn State (2021 Draft Eligible)

Coming out of Linebacker U, Micah Parson will be the next great Nittany Lion to dominate in the NFL. Right when he enters the NFL he will be a prolific run defender, do in large part because of rock solid tackling ability, as he has only missed 6 tackles on 100 attempts, and he has shown a knack to find the backfield, as he has 14 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. He will be the centerpiece of a defense immediately when he gets drafted.

23. Jamal Adams 24, Safety, New York Jets

One of the most versatile safeties in the NFL, and the best box safety in the NFL, Adams offers a defensive coordinators so many options. He lined up in the box for 400 snaps, and pressured the quarterback on just about 25% of his rushes. He has the ability to take the QB down also, as he has racked up 12 sacks in his first 3 seasons in the league. Adams is a part of the new breed of safety/linebacker hybrids that are taking over the NFL, and giving offensive coordinators headaches. We could see him in the Cowboy blue by the end of the decade.

22. Tre'Davious White 25, Cornerback, Buffalo Bills

The most dynamic defender on a young, and hungry Bills defense, White consistently takes on teams best receivers, and routinely comes out on top. He was the only corner in 2019 to play 500 coverage snaps, and not give up a touchdown, which is due in big part do to his elite ability to jam receivers, and disrupt their routes. He also shows great patience when in man to man coverage. He got his first All-Pro nod in only his third season, mostly because of his turnover instincts with 6 interceptions. White is in for a big payday from the Bills, in hopes he can help them get their first Super Bowl.

21. Frank Ragnow 23, Center, Detroit Lions

After the Lions made the smart move of moving Ragnow from guard to center after his rookie season, they saw a drastic improvement in his play. The leap was so high a lot of people inside the NFL regarded him as the 2nd best center in the league only behind Jason Kelce, and Pro Football Focus had him graded as the best run blocking center in the league. He has the ability to be the next great center in the league, and a stable piece of an improving Detroit Lions offensive line for the next decade.

20. Jonathan Taylor 21, Running Back, Wisconsin (2020 Draft Eligible)

One of the most productive running backs in college history, he averaged 2000 yards per season over the 3 years, and 55 total touchdowns. Given his size, speed, and running ability, he can be a game changing back at the next level. He can fit into any type of running scheme, man or gap, as he had success in both at Wisconsin. Taylor has the ability to step right in to any team, and be an immediate impact, and contribute in a major way, he even showed his receiving prowess in his last year in college. Which ever team drafts him gets a day one starter.

19. Noah Fant 22, Tight End, Denver Broncos

Coming out of Iowa, Fant's was a highly productive modern day tight end, who can line up out wide and make plays. He did not have an overwhelmingly productive rookie season, but he did manage to set the the Broncos rookie TE record in receptions, and yards, beating out guys like Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe. Fant's 6 foot 4, and 249 frame, paired with his 4.50 speed, makes him an absolute handful to handle by anyone's standards. As the decade goes on Drew Lock, and Fant who came in the league together could form one of the most dynamic QB-TE combo of the 2020's.

18. Chase Young 21, Defensive End/Edge, Ohio State (2020 Draft Eligible)

Chalk up another elite pass rusher to come out of Ohio State, and he may very well be the best of them all when it is all said, and done. Young has an amazing combination of speed, and size, which allowed him to do what he wanted in college. He accumulated 16.5 sacks his junior year, and almost never was contained in 1-on-1 situations, due to that, he saw double, and even triple teams on a regular occurrence towards the end of the year. There is a very high possibility that he excels from day one, as he will be going to Washington, who already has a good defensive line, so he will not be seeing to much extra attention.

17. Ronnie Stanley 26, Offensive Tackle, Baltimore Ravens

To begin with Stanley was part of the most dynamic run offense in NFL history, which in part led to his first All Pro team selection this past season, but it was not even the most impressive part of his game. The pass protection that Stanley provided for Lamar Jackson was the best among tackles in the whole league, with a 98.7 win rate on his pass protection in 2019. The league is seeing the emergence of one of its best tackles, and will be ask to be a staple on that Ravens line for years to come.

16. Devin White 22, Linebacker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Its only a matter of time before Lavonte David becomes expendable, because of the emergence of Devin White. White did not have the fastest start, sustaining an injury, and being forced to miss 3 games, but after that he began to find his groove, collecting 91 total combined tackles, and flashing the coverage skills that stood out at LSU, with an interception, and 3 pass defended. The speed, motor, and constant effort is what will make him a household name for years to come, a perfect example of this is his chase down tackle of Chris Carson 50 yards down field to save a touchdown, hitting speeds of 21.8 mph! He has the leadership qualities to change the losing culture in Tampa, and be the anchor of that defense.

15. Ed Oliver 22, Defensive Tackle, Buffalo Bills

Get to know the name, he is the next big name at the position, alongside names like Aaron Donald, and Fletcher Cox. Oliver showed he can hang with the best of the best right out of the gate, producing the 4th best win rate on his rushes among all qualified defensive tackles. He also showed great resiliency after getting demoted coming back to collect 4 sacks, in his first three games back. The beyond rare athletic ability that Oliver has will be key to his success, as he is able to disrupt, and win battles very quickly, he might need to continue to add mass, to make up for his smaller stature. But even without the mass Oliver will be a key piece to that Bills defense for years to come, and a major problem for his opponents offensive lines

14. DeAndre Hopkins 27, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals

What more can be said about this man that has not already been said, not much really. Hopkins has been the epitome of consistency, even without consistent quarterbacking, as he has averaged 1229 yards, 90 catches every season, and a 13.6 yards per reception average over his career. Nothing indicates any of this should change, and arguably should go up with Kyler Murray now throwing him the ball, and the fact that hes a model of health as he has only missed 2 games in his first 7 seasons. Hopkins is entering his athletic prime, and will only continue to dominate, the way Larry Fitzgerald did into his 30's.

13. Marshon Lattimore 23, Cornerback, New Orleans Saints

Maybe one of the most under appreciated player in the eyes of the common NFL fan, Lattimore has been quietly effective for the perennial contenders Saints. You will not see gaudy interception numbers from Lattimore, due to opponents not throwing his way, they only completed 50% of their throws against him last year. His prototypical size for an NFL corner, along with the fluidity in his hips allows him to stick with receivers at an above average rate. Marshon came into the league, and did not miss a beat, winning rookie of the year in 2017, and has been very consistent ever since. I see him being an elite level corner for a large portion of the 2020's.

12. Christian McCafrrey 23, Running Back, Carolina Panthers

Ever since McCaffrey graced the fields of Stanford, people knew he would be special, and perfect for the new age running back position, one that relies on the back to create in the passing game, on top of toting the rock. After a somewhat quiet rookie season that still saw him pile up over a 1000 total yards, mostly in the passing game, he would have 2 All Pro worthy seasons (2nd Team 2018, 1st team 2019) which he accumulate at least 1900 total yards, and 100 receptions. Th numbers he has put up so far in his career has been nothing less than spectacular, racking up already 5443 total yards in only a 3 seasons span. With McCaffrey ability to be efficient in every aspect of the game, he rarely comes off the field, which will make him a hot commodity for most of the decade, even if he probably is not a Panther come the end of it.

11. Ryan Ramczyk 26, Offensive Tackle, New Orleans Saints

Since entering the league in 2017, Ramczyk has been a key part of the Saints offensive line playing 98% of all snaps, and only missing one game in that time. Ramczyk is an absolute weapon in the running game, being regarded as the best run blocking lineman in the NFL for the last couple years. Even though the right tackle position does not receive much love, the consistency he has shown early in his career, will only get better as he matures more. Who knows in a perfect world he might get paired up with a lefty at some point, and receive the love he deserves.

10. Kyler Murray 22, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals

One of my favorites in the game today, if you were trying to introduce someone to football, you would throw on highlights of Murray, and let the love affair begin. He offers an offense so much versatility, in that he has the ability to make every throw on the field, paired with the ability to create off script, and to have designed runs for him because of his athleticism, he is a coordinators dream. After an impressive rookie season that saw him accumulate 24 total touchdowns, and true completion percentage of 70.6, there is talk that we could see the sophomore explosion guys like Lamar, and Mahomes showed. With the stable of young receivers in Hopkins, Kirk, and Isabella, paired with Kliff Kingsbury type of offense, we could see Murray collect some hardware in the 2020's to pair with his Rookie of the Year award he won in 2019.

9. Derwin James 23, Safety, Los Angeles Chargers

Everyone knew after the rookie season that James had, that he was on his way to becoming the next great safety in the NFL. That rookie year saw him collect his first All Pro honors, a rarity for a young player, while racking up 105 total tackles, and being no slouch in the coverage game adding 3 interceptions. Going along with the theme of the new age safety, James has the ability to play anywhere on the field, often being described as a movable chess piece on the defensive side of the ball. I would not read too much into his sophomore season, as he was injured for a great deal of it. Derwin James is viewed as a game changer, and someone that will be a problem for years to come.

8. Darius Leonard 24, Linebacker, Indianapolis

Who would have thought that the linebacker from a small school, South Carolina State, would walk into the NFL, and just start dominating, it was truly remarkable what Leonard was able to accomplish, compiling 111 solo tackles, and 163 combined, while only missing 12 tackles. Combined with his knack to corral ball carriers, he can rush the QB, and is very good in pass coverage posting a passer rating under 80.0 when targeted, that is 25 points lower than the average passer rating against linebackers. Leonard is the perfect blend of new age linebacker, mixed with that old school gritty tackling machine. This may be one of the safest bets to be slotted into the 2020's all decade team.

7. Nick Bosa 22, Defensive End/Edge, San Francisco 49ers

What Bosa did this year was not only great, but historically great, creating 80 pressures, 17 more than the next best rookie ever. He also joined some elite company according to Pro Football Focus who ranked him fourth all time in terms of overall grade just behind Aldon Smith, Von Miller, and Khalil Mack, and was the only rookie edge rusher to have a 75 grade in both the pass, and run game. One of the major traits that will make Bosa an all time great is his football IQ, and his ability to diagnose plays so quickly, if you add that with his great repertoire of pass rushing moves, makes him almost an unstoppable force. It doesn't hurt that he is one part of a dynamic defensive line, allowing Bosa to get a lot of single team matchups.

6. George Kittle 26, Tight End, San Francisco 49ers

If coaches were to go into a lab, and create the perfect tight end, they would come out with George Kittle, a dangerous threat in the passing game, and a great blocker in the run game be it either against smaller players, or players that usually need an offensive lineman to handle them. In the passing game he has been a steady target for Jimmy Garoppolo catching 79% of his targets, which helped him claim his first All Pro team spot. Another underrated aspect of Kittles game is the tenacity that he plays the game with, and because of that i can see him playing well into his 30's, like a Tony Gonzalez.

5. Jerry Jeudy 20, Wide Receiver, Alabama (2020 Draft Eligible)

When you're gonna enter the league, and arguably be the best route runner before you even play a game, that says a lot about the potential trajectory of your career. After Jeudy burst onto the scenes his sophomore season for Alabama winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation best wide receiver, he continued it with an equally impressive junior season. In all he tallied 156 receptions, 26 touchdowns, and a 17.2 yards per reception average during his time with the Crimson Tide. When looking at future projections, you have to take into account that Jeudy just moves differently, with his ability to start, than stop on a dime, and than start again it makes it extremely difficult for corner to keep up with him. That paired with his elite traits like hands, speed, route running, it doesn't matter much where he ends up , he will produce either way.

4. Quenton Nelson 24, Offensive Guard, Indianapolis Colts

Looking for a tone setter for your offensive line, look no further then Nelson, he is the glue of the Colts line, that brings everybody together as a unit. But he still offers a very tangible product on the field, as he did not allow a single sack all season, and Pro Football focus had him as the second best run blocking guard of 2019. You don't often get a young player that is regarded as a perennial All Pro, and he lives up to the expectations, that is not the case with Nelson. He has clearly been the most valuable Colt during his two seasons, and his dominance should only continue over the next 10 years.

3. Myles Garrett 24, Defensive End/Edge, Cleveland Browns

Even with his idiotic helmet swinging episode this season, that does not take away from the elite talent that he possesses. A crazy story came out before the 2019 season that former defensive coordinator Greg Williams was only allowing Garrett to use two rush techniques, limiting his vast repertoire so it was only logical that he would see more success in 2019. Garrett was on a sack per game pace, and even with missing 6 games finished with the best win rate in the NFL at 25.9%. When coaches look at Garrett they either see their nightmares, or their dreams depending on if hes on your team or not, and i don't see that changing anytime soon. I think he ends the decade as the best pass rusher, because no one has the pure raw power, and speed that he possesses. It will be close given all the young edge rushers that are up, and coming but if he just stays out of his own way, his talent will take over.

2. Trevor Lawrence 20, Quarterback, Clemson (2021 Draft Eligible)

Hes been given a handful of nicknames before even playing a down in the NFL, such as the Chosen One, Phenom, and my personal favorite, from one of the best football movies ever made Sunshine (Remember The Titans), and he has the capability to live up to them all. Its been a while since the NFL has seen a talent like Lawrence's come out of college at the quarterback position, which is why he has already been tabbed as the number 1 pick of the 2021 draft. Lawrence only knows excellence early into his football career, with two Georgia state championships, then jumping into college immediately, and leading the Clemson Tigers to a National Championship, with a near perfect performance against Alabama, then coming up just short against LSU this year. Along with the intangible traits, Lawrence possesses an arm that can only be described as generational, paired with size that would make you think he came out of the QB factory, all this makes him a cant miss talent.

If i had to make a guess now where he would end up, i have a few ideas, either sunny Jacksonville, or everyone worst nightmare, with that man in Foxborough, either place he goes he will have an immediate impact.

1. Patrick Mahomes 24, Quarterback, Kansas City Chief

Okay yes this is the obvious choice, but it is also the right one, and anyone who doesn't think so is lying to themselves. The amount that Mahomes has accomplished at such an early age, has earned him this spot on my list. The year he sat behind Alex Smith may have been the biggest blessing in the world, cause he got to learn , then hit the ground running with the best sophomore season anyone has ever seen from a quarterback, and ended up taking home MVP honors in 2018. He followed that up by winning Super Bowl 54, and SB MVP. Mahomes ability to create off script is really what makes him special, with the unique arm angle throws, and add in the fact that he has a riffle for an arm, what can't he do really? With all the weapons that the Chiefs surround their talented QB with the expectation will be at least another couple Super Bowls by decades end.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Andrus Peat 26, Offensive Guard, New Orleans Saints

TJ Watt 25 Edge, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jeff Okudah 21, Cornerback, Ohio State (2020 Draft Eligible)

Arik Gilbert 18, Tight End, LSU (2023 Draft Eligible)

Travis Etienne 21, Running Back (2021 Draft Eligible)

Justin Herbert 22, Quarterback, Oregon (2020 Draft Eligible)

Ceedee Lamb 21, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma (2020 Draft Eligible)

Gregory Rousseau 20, Defensive End/Edge, Miami (2021 Draft Eligible)

Jayden Daniels 19, Quarterbacks, Arizona State (2022 Draft Eligible)

Harrison Butker 24, Kicker, Kansas City Chiefs