The Washington Commanders made it clear this offseason: the priority was to get younger, faster, and more athletic on both sides of the ball. By most accounts, they did a solid job of addressing that goal through the draft and free agency. So it’s a bit jarring to see ESPN’s latest rankings slot the Commanders’ under-25 core at 25th out of 32 NFL teams, especially after Washington ranked third in that same category just one year ago.

The drop is significant, but it requires some context. A big reason for the fall is quarterback Jayden Daniels aging out of the under-25 threshold. Daniels turned 25 in December and no longer qualifies for the exercise, which immediately removes one of the league’s best young players from the equation. Even with last year’s injuries, Daniels is still a top-10 quarterback and a top-5 signal-caller when healthy. Losing him from the under-25 conversation is going to tank any team’s ranking.

The Commanders’ under-25 cupboard isn’t bare

That said, the only two impact players Washington currently has under the age of 25 are offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and rookie linebacker Sonny Styles. Conerly, like most rookies, had his share of ups and downs in 2025. He flashed at times and struggled at others, which is par for the course for a young offensive lineman adjusting to the NFL.

Styles is a different story. His draft pedigree and physical traits suggest he has the ceiling to be a difference-maker from the start, but there’s no guarantee he lives up to his first-round billing. Chances are he will, but that’s the nature of this kind of ranking. It has to base itself on what players have proven, not what they might become.

The bigger picture still looks promising

Here’s where things get a little more encouraging for Washington. Several key players who fall just outside the under-25 window can still make a massive impact in 2026. Brandon Coleman, Luke McCaffrey, Jordan Magee, Bill Merritt, and Leo Chenal are all capable of playing significant roles for the Commanders this season.

Out of those guys, only Chenal carries a big contract. Everybody else is still on a rookie deal, and that’s promising in itself. The financial flexibility that comes with having contributors on cheap contracts gives Washington room to maneuver as the roster continues to take shape.

Then there’s safety Nick Cross, who turns 25 on Sept. 10. Johnny Newton, Trey Amos, and Jalin Layne are all young players the Commanders are banking on to develop. It’s going to be a matter of time before we know whether those investments pay off.

Does the ranking actually tell the full story?

The fact that the Commanders explicitly wanted to get younger, faster, and more athletic this offseason makes the 25th ranking sting a little more than it probably should. At the same time, it’s hard to fully agree with the assessment.

Washington’s roster is younger and more athletic than it was a year ago. The ranking captures one narrow snapshot of the roster, specifically players under 25, and penalizes the Commanders for Daniels aging past the cutoff. That tells me the ranking is more a reflection of timing than talent evaluation.

The Commanders have plenty of young, cost-controlled players who can grow into impact roles. Whether they actually do will determine how Washington stacks up by the time 2027 rolls around.