Football is back in full swing, which, means rankings are, too.
On Tuesday morning, CBS Sports dropped its list of Top 25 NFL players 25 and under. We'll kill any suspense right away – Vikings all-universe wide receiver Justin Jefferson cracked – er, topped – the list.
Cody Benjamin points out that the 25-year-old Jefferson, who recently landed a four-year, $140-million contract extension, tallied his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season despite appearing in only 10 games.
He remains one of, if not the toughest wideout to guard in all of football, and his effortless explosion turns routine plays into potential home runs. The undeniable face of the Vikings after less than a half-decade of NFL play, Jefferson is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
We can confirm, Jefferson, obviously, is the real deal and deserving of top status.
Dallas edge defender Micah Parsons (age 25), Cincinnati wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (24), Detroit tackle Penei Sewell (23) and New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (24) complete the Top 5.
Chase's case the past two seasons has been impacted negatively by injuries to him and his quarterback.
If there's one wideout capable of approaching Jefferson's sheer big-play sizzle, it's probably his former LSU teammate. His 1,455-yard debut as Joe Burrow's No. 1 proved his game-breaking speed.
The rest of the list is littered with receivers: CeeDee Lamb (No. 6), Jaylen Waddle (7), Amon-Ra St. Brown (8), DeVonta Smith (15), Chris Olave (17), Garrett Wilson (18) and Puka Nacua (20).
Wide receiver has the largest representation on the list, with nine players, followed by offensive line (four), and a tie at quarterback and cornerback (three). Included in that crop of linemen, at No. 23, is Vikings 25-year-old left tackle Christian Darrisaw. He'll be integral to Minnesota's quarterback success.
One of the most underdiscussed big men in the NFL, the former first-rounder has missed multiple games due to injury each year. When healthy, however, he's been a top-graded pass blocker, helping pave the way for top-tier Kirk Cousins performances under Kevin O'Connell from 2022-2023.
Click here to read the full rankings.
Ivan Pace, Jr., primed for second season
When Jordan Hicks got injured in November of last season, during Minnesota's 27-19 win against New Orleans, there was added pressure on undrafted rookie Ivan Pace, Jr., to perform – and he did in a big way.
Pace took over some play calling responsibilities on Minnesota's defense and in his first game sans Hicks next to him, the University of Cincinnati product recorded a then-season-high nine tackles and forced a fumble. Over Hicks' four-game absence, Pace averaged 10 tackles per game and contributed two sacks.
Pace told Up & Adams host Kay Adams on Monday he believes he'll be relaying the defensive calls to his teammates in 2024. If so, it's an awfully impressive progression for someone who slipped past the draft.
"When [Hicks] went down last year, I took over and they gave me that trust," Pace said.
Watch a snippet of Pace's interview with Adams here.
More about Pace: On Friday of last week, Sports Illustrated continued rolling out its All-NFC North preseason team, focusing in this edition on off-the-ball linebackers – and Pace was tabbed one of three.
Joe Nelson of Vikings On SI believes Pace's progression will result in "bigger numbers and more praise from his peers."
Nelson wrote the following:
Pace has a long way to go before he enters the same realm as Vikings greats who went undrafted, a la John Randle and Adam Thielen, but if his rookie season was any indication of things to come, the middle of Minnesota's defense is in good hands.
In 2023, Pace burst onto the scene, starting 11 of 17 games and finishing fourth on the Vikings in total tackles (102). His 63 solo tackles ranked second among all rookie defenders, behind Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (65). Pace also tallied 2.5 sacks and one interception across 706 defensive snaps.
He's due for an increased role after the tackle-making fanatic Hicks departed for Cleveland in free agency. Minnesota also signed Eden Prairie native Blake Cashman during free agency.
Pace was joined on SI's list by Green Bay's Quay Walker and Chicago's T.J. Edwards.
