The Detroit Lions keep showing up on young-star lists because Brad Holmes has spent years stocking the roster with high-end talent. But that pipeline is thinning, and a new CBS Sports ranking makes the point pretty clearly: Jahmyr Gibbs and Penei Sewell may be the last Lions still hanging around these kinds of national lists for a while.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports ranked the top 25 NFL players age 25 or younger heading into the 2026 season, using Sept. 9, the season opener, as the cutoff. Two Lions made the cut, and both landed near the top.
Gibbs came in at No. 9, and the case for him is built on production that already looks outrageous for a player this early in his career.
“Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the NFL's most exciting players and is on a historic pace to begin his career.”
“His 49 career touchdowns are the most by any player through his first three seasons in NFL history. He's third in scrimmage yards (3,768) and first in scrimmage touchdowns (38) over the past two seasons. Gibbs is also just the second player in NFL history to average at least 5.0 yards per carry in each of his first three seasons (min. 150 rushing attempts per season).”
“He's the engine that makes Detroit's offense go, and with David Montgomery traded to Houston this offseason, Gibbs is in line for an even bigger workload, setting up what could be an earth-shattering 2026 season.”
That’s a strong résumé, and it almost feels like Gibbs should be even higher on the list. He also turns 25 before the cutoff for the 2027 version, so there’s a good chance this is the last time he qualifies for a young-player ranking.
Sewell checked in even higher, at No. 3, and his presence on the list is a reminder of just how long he has already been viewed as one of the league’s elite young linemen. He still qualifies because his 26th birthday isn’t until Oct. 9.
“Penei Sewell is becoming the gold standard for offensive tackles in the NFL. He's elite as both a pass blocker and run blocker.”
“While Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery were lauded as a fantastic duo during their time together in Detroit's backfield, Sewell has been a major X-factor in their success on the ground. He's also been superb in protecting Jared Goff, allowing just three sacks last season, according to TruMedia. His 19 pressures allowed tied a career low, and he was beaten on just 2.1% of his snaps, also a career best.”
“He's been a first-team All-Pro in each of the last three seasons, and it's not hard to see why.”
For a team that has built so much of its recent rise around young talent, this is where the caveat comes in. Gibbs and Sewell look like the final Lions who will keep popping up on league-wide under-25 lists anytime soon. Maybe that changes faster than expected, but for now it’s a sign that the once-loaded draft pipeline has started to slow.
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