Lionel Messi leads Argentina to incredible World Cup comeback; LeBron James inching closer to decision

There is an abundance of young talent in the NFL these days, and that wave of up-and-coming stars will become the faces of the league sooner rather than later.

Our team of NFL experts put their heads together to identify the best and brightest of that bunch -- resulting in our ranking of the top 25 NFL players under 25. As you might imagine, there were plenty of tough calls, both in terms of placement and which players were left on the cutting room floor.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who is coming off a disastrous sophomore campaign, remained inside the top 10. That's a testament to the strength of Daniels' rookie season, as well as the faith that he can bounce back with more talent around him, as Tyler Sullivan explains.

You want a quick preview of the full list? OK, fine. Here's a taste:

21. De'Von Achane, RB, Dolphins 22. Cooper DeJean, CB, Eagles 23. Sauce Gardner, CB, Colts 24. Joe Alt, OT, Chargers 25. Colston Loveland, TE, Bears

One player who hasn't been on this list for 17 years is Aaron Rodgers. As the 42-year-old QB prepares for his second season with the Steelers, what can we reasonably expect from him at this point in his career?

Who doesn't love a little fantasy football exercise in July?

(Side note: Our industry-best fantasy football team is already prepping you for your 2026 drafts).

Our own Chris Hummer set out to build the ultimate college football team, using the best position groups from around the country. The usual suspects, such as Georgia, Ohio State and Miami, are represented, but don't sleep on the defending champs. Between Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, Indiana has an elite one-two punch at WR, even if they aren't household names ... yet.

Here's the breakdown of teams represented in our CFB Voltron by conference:

Spoiler alert: One team that failed to make an appearance in that piece was Auburn, which is now on its seventh coach (including interims) since 2020. Alex Golesh will now get his shot to right the ship on The Plains, but he faces one big question. How long will it take him to beat Alabama?

🎾 Wimbledon: Quarterfinals, 8 a.m. on ESPN ⚾ Yankees at Rays, 6:40 p.m. on Prime Video ⚾ Phillies at Reds, 7 p.m. on ESPN 🏀 Lynx at Sun, 7:30 p.m. on USA Network ⚾ Diamondbacks at Padres, 10 p.m. on ESPN 🏀 Fever at Sparks, 10 p.m. on USA Network