2021 NFL Free Agency: The 10 Best 25-and-Under Players in This Year's Class

Just like last year, a league-altering set of 2021 NFL free agents are in the 25-and-under club. 

Last offseason, Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones and Dallas Cowboys wideout Amari Cooper headlined the list. This year's best young free agents can be similarly impactful.

These players all have a nice combination of proven production and alluring remaining upside. They're walking into the primes of their careers, which typically creates bidding wars for them.

Between those factors and positional value, we've ranked the top 25-and-under members of this year's free-agent class, with the age cutoff at the start of the new league year (March 17). We'll also include a best fit based on team need, schematic fit and cap space.

After playing only four games across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Atlanta Falcons safety Keanu Neal got his career back on track last season.

The 2016 first-round pick racked up 73 solo tackles and his first career sack across 15 games in 2020. He also snagged an interception and deflected two passes, earning a 68.2 Pro Football Focus grade. 

While Neal did allow 45 catches on 58 targets, according to PFF, coverage skills aren't the only thing he brings to the table. He's an in-the-box thumper who can play at his natural spot or come down in the slot. 

Given his injury history, teams may not need to spend a ton for Neal. But he's a versatile player who looked like he could be one of the league's next big things in 2017 while posting a 78.1 PFF grade. 

Best Fit: Jacksonville Jaguars

Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman might lead the cornerback market this offseason, but Shaquill Griffin should help some team in need.

The Seattle Seahawks originally selected Griffin with a third-round pick in 2017. In 57 career games over four season, he has picked off six passes while playing the lion's share of the defensive snaps.

Over 12 games this season, Griffin recorded 50 solo tackles, three interceptions and only allowed 45 catches on 73 targets, good for a 64.1 Pro Football Focus grade. That's down from his 77.0 PFF grade in 2019, but nagging injuries could explain the dip. 

It's rare for teams to snag a potential No. 1 corner at a reasonable price, but Griffin has the upside to help a team pull off such a feat.

Best Fit: Indianapolis Colts

A hamstring injury limited Chidobe Awuzie to only eight games last season, which contributed to the Dallas Cowboys' defensive struggles. 

When healthy, Awuzie allowed 25 receptions on 38 targets and snagged only one interception, earning him a brutal 51.9 grade from PFF. He was far better in 2019, allowing 56 receptions on 90 targets to finish with a 72.2 grade.

While Awuzie has only four interceptions across his four NFL seasons, he hasn't allowed a completion percentage north of 60 in any of the past three years.

Awuzie is a bigger corner (6'0", 202 pounds) who could bounce back in better surroundings and a zone-friendly scheme. A team that needs to bolster its secondary should gamble on the 2017 second-rounder's upside this offseason.

Best Fit: Los Angeles Chargers

In a stacked free-agent wide receiver class, Curtis Samuel may get lost in the shuffle.

The Carolina Panthers struggled to figure out how best to utilize the 2017 second-round pick over his first three seasons. He stayed on the field for all 16 games only once in that span, and he never topped 800 yards from scrimmage.

However, Samuel broke out this season under new offensive coordinator Joe Brady. He had his first three 100-yard receiving games, and he finished with 851 receiving yards and three touchdowns to go with 200 yards and two scores on the ground.

A versatile weapon who's coming into his own and could accomplish even more in a better passing attack, Samuel could spark a surprising bidding war once the free-agent dominoes start to fall. 

Best Fit: Cincinnati Bengals

JuJu Smith-Schuster is surprisingly young (24) for a player with four NFL seasons under his belt, which should only make him more attractive to teams in need. 

The 2017 second-rounder has spent his career playing in a pass-happy offense mostly led by Ben Roethlisberger. While he hauled in 97 catches and scored a career-high nine times this past season, he averaged only 8.6 yards per catch on 128 targets.

Although Smith-Schuster might be miscast as a No. 1 option, he can thrive as a No. 2. While flanking a prime Antonio Brown back in 2018, he hauled in a career-high 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven scores.

Either way, Smith-Schuster is reliable and can rack up both yards and catches on underneath routes. His ability to wiggle through coverage should make him one of the most sought-after free-agent wideouts.

Best Fit: Washington Football Team

Jonnu Smith has largely been hidden in a run-first Tennessee Titans offense, but he has enormous upside.

Smith snagged a career-high 41 receptions for 448 yards and eight touchdowns on 65 targets this past season. He's also averaged at least 7.8 yards after the catch in two of his last three years.

The 6'3", 248-pounder is a versatile weapon who can create mismatches all over the field. In a more pass-happy attack, he has major breakout potential. 

Any team in need of a do-it-all tight end should put Smith high upon its free-agent wish list.

Best Fit: New England Patriots

Yannick Ngakoue has quickly cemented himself as one of the NFL's best young pass-rushers.

The 2016 third-round pick had a successful four-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars, racking up 37.5 sacks in 63 career games. But when the Jaguars began their teardown, they sent him to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 second-round pick and a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick.

Ngakoue's tenure in Minnesota didn't last long. The Vikings sent him to the Baltimore Ravens after only six games for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 fifth-rounder. He still managed to rack up eight sacks, six quarterback knockdowns, 12 hurries and 26 pressures across 15 appearances (eight starts) between Baltimore and Minnesota.

Baltimore hasn't blinked at losing edge-rushers in the past, so Ngakoue could be looking for a new home this offseason. Any team that needs to bolster its pass rush should be eyeing someone with 45.5 sacks in 78 career games.

Best Fit: New York Jets

Marcus Williams likely isn't a household name outside of New Orleans, but he's been quite the success story for the Saints. 

The 2017 second-rounder has played at least 84 percent of the Saints' defensive snaps in each of his first four seasons and has picked off 13 passes. He put up a strong 79.3 PFF grade this past season and an 86.5 in 2019.

Williams is strong in the box against the run and reliable in coverage, which isn't common at the safety spot even in 2021. That might explain why Spotrac projects his market value at an average salary of $9.4 million per year, which would rank ninth leaguewide among safeties. 

Given the premium nature of the safety position and the plug-and-play nature of his skill set, Williams is a candidate to set off an unexpected bidding war. 

Best Fit: Washington Football Team

Few things are more premium than pressure in the NFL these days, and Cincinnati Bengals edge-rusher Carl Lawson brings more of it than most of this year's free agents.

Lawson has had varying roles under two different coaching staffs in Cincinnati, but he has generally been a fourth-round success story. He's notched at least five sacks in three of his four seasons, and he finished with a 76.3 PFF grade in 2020 while tallying a career-high 44 pressures.

Lawson also created 10.5 sacks for other players in 2020, according to ESPN's Seth Walder, which ranked sixth leaguewide.

If Lawson makes it to free agency, he figures to spark a huge bidding war. The 25-year-old is arguably the best edge-rusher available, and he could make an even bigger impact on a defense with more talent around him.

Best Fit: Indianapolis Colts

Before Tom Brady guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory, wideout Chris Godwin already projected to be one of the best free agents available in 2021. 

With Jameis Winston under center in 2019, Godwin hauled in a career-high 86 catches for 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 15.5 yards per catch. Injuries and a crowded depth chart caused his production to dip this past season, but he has 11 career 100-yard games and has scored at least seven times in three of his first four seasons.

Godwin is versatile and could slide into a No. 1 wideout role if needed. He also has only seven drops on 300 targets across his past three seasons combined.

Wideouts like Godwin rarely hit the open market, and he's entering his age-25 season. He's positioned to become one of the league's highest-paid receivers and could reshape the Super Bowl picture in 2021 if he leaves the Buccaneers. 

Best Fit: New York Jets

All statistics via Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.