Philadelphia’s most exciting 25 pro athletes under 25

There's a youth movement on the horizon for the pro major teams in Philly.

The Eagles' defense is already anchored by a bunch of players under 25, many of whom already have a Super Bowl ring. The Phillies' aging core is essentially blocking an influx of talent from the minors who could break through in the next few months. The Flyers are, potentially, about to turn over a new leaf as their team continues to search for its next core. And the Sixers appear to be collecting a younger contingent of guards to help sustain the franchise if/when Joel Embiid is not able to lead the team anymore — and this is before they pick third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

New faces could soon define the local sports landscape.

So who should you be the most excited about? Our sports staff ranked the top 25 pro athletes in the city who have yet to turn 25. Here's a look at what we came up with:

1. Jalen Carter, DT, Eagles (24)

Geoff Mosher: The fact that he hasn't yet made an All Pro but appears No. 1 on this list just illustrates the expectation level of dominance for the 2023 first-round pick who emerged into an unblockable force on the interior last year for the Super Bowl champions, against the run and pass.

Carter is on the doorstep of superstardom, and another season like 2024 would surely come with those honors and accolades along with becoming a household name.

2. Matvei Michkov, RW, Flyers (20)

Nick Tricome: He's going to be a star. Michkov's rookie year had its bumps in the road, however warranted they might've been, yet even so, he led the struggling Flyers and the NHL's rookie scoring race with 26 goals.

Beyond that, when you saw him play, especially with the puck on his stick, he was thinking and moving steps ahead of everyone on the ice. And this was all by age 20, way ahead of schedule, and with the rest of the roster still needing to be formed around him.

He'll be the next face of the Flyers (he might already be), and could be someone much more special.

"He's probably the one guy that I've played with in my career that he wants to be the best player in the NHL," veteran Travis Konecny said of Michkov at season's end. "He believes that he can be, and you can't teach that.

"That's just something he wants, and that he believes in, and that's a powerful thing."

3. Andrew Painter, SP, IronPigs (22)

Evan Macy: It feels like Painter has been in the pipeline for ages. The top pick from the team's 2021 draft class dazzled in his first few starts in Triple-A before some back-to-back stinkers but is right back on track.

He's got an impressive — though admittedly small — body of work, has a dynamic fastball and all the tools to be an MLB ace if he can stay healthy. He is expected to make the jump to the majors next month.

4. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Eagles (23)

Geoff: After decades of poor drafting at the position, the Eagles finally hit on a cornerback as Mitchell, the team's first-round pick in 2024, started every game at right cornerback and quickly gained a reputation for locking down the NFL's top receivers.

Mitchell is already on the fast track to becoming one of the NFL's elite corners. Imagine if he starts holding onto those interceptions that eluded him as a rookie?

5. Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Eagles (22)

Geoff: Arguably the most exciting defensive back in the Eagles' secondary, the versatile DeJean showed just how valuable he was last year when he wasn't on the field. The Eagles' defense was objectively substandard until the Iowa product made his first start in Week 6. From that point on, the Eagles were an entirely different defense and surged all the way to No. 1 by season's end.

Nobody will forget his fourth-down tackle on Ja'Marr Chase, or the time he trucked All Pro running back Derrick Henry, or his Super Bowl pick-six on Patrick Mahomes. Sky's the limit for this kid.

6. Tyrese Maxey, G, 76ers (24)

Adam Aaronson: Maxey is the closest thing the Sixers have to a sure thing in the years ahead, a dynamic scoring guard who can get buckets anywhere on the floor thanks to his blazing speed and pull-up shooting mastery.

Maxey made a leap in each of the first four years of his NBA career, but under difficult circumstances with an absurd workload took a noticeable step back on the offensive end last year. He did level up his defense quite a bit, which could raise his ceiling if he sustains it moving forward.

7. Jared McCain, G, 76ers (21)

Adam: McCain's rookie season only lasted 23 games before he suffered a torn meniscus which ruled him out for the duration, but in a very short time the No. 16 overall pick staged a remarkable run of scoring while acclimating to the speed and physicality of the NBA.

McCain was the clear favorite to win Rookie of the Year before he went down, and likely would have earned that trophy with ease on a depleted Sixers team if he remained healthy. He is expected to be ready to go next season, though, and if he and Maxey are a viable long-term pairing defensively, they represent the future of the organization.

8. Jihaad Campbell, LB, Eagles (21)

Geoff: He hasn't yet played a down of NFL football but much of the excitement surrounding the South Jersey native is because of Campbell's versatility. The Alabama product is expected to play both inside linebacker and edge rusher – maybe even both in a game – and is known for playing with a tenacity and violence that will instantly connect with Eagles fans.

Defense still rules the roost in Philly, and the idea of Campbell leveling ball-carriers, laying out tight ends, and sacking QBs is just too tantalizing.

9. Nolan Smith, DE, Eagles (24)

Evan: Some of the best pass rushers (Brandon Graham among them) in recent Eagles history have gotten off to slow starts, and Smith is in that camp, having worked his ass off to earn a rotational role last season.

He was excellent down the stretch and in the postseason, and when his triceps injury heals he'll be expected to be a featured sacker in the Eagles defense. He had 10.5 sacks in the regular season and playoffs combined last season.

10. Mick Abel, SP, Phillies (23)

Evan: Abel has already made the jump to the big leagues and looks like he could have the stuff to stay there. Which will complicate things with the Phillies boasting an abundance of starting pitching. But that's a good problem to have.

Abel has a 2.35 ERA over his first three starts and went 10 innings before allowing a run to start his Phils career.

A look back (at the last time we ranked them)

11. Jett Luchanko, C, Phantoms (18)

Nick: The speedy center made the Flyers out of camp this past season, went back to Guelph in juniors with a clear to-do list of what to work on, then was with the Phantoms in the AHL before the year was up.

Luchanko, who is still a very young skater at age 18, has more development to do in his game, but is a clear part of the Flyers' plans down the middle of the ice, and should be in a good spot to make the team again in camp later into this summer.

12. Aidan Miller, SS, Fightin Phils (20)

Evan: The Phillies' 2023 first rounder is currently in Double-A Reading and has struggled a bit to start the year, hitting just .235 — though he has already shown some impressive patience with the bat and glove skills at shortstop.

The front office projects he could be the longterm shortstop of the future for the club, which would prompt a position change for Trea Turner in the near future.

13. Justin Crawford, OF, IronPigs (21)

Evan: I personally had Crawford higher, but he is admittedly a flawed but extremely talented hitter. He has elite speed and makes excellent contact, he should be able to hit for average in the majors without any issues. But he lacks a consistent power stroke — you can see this in his current slash line in Triple-A: .349/.416/.448.

Can he be a star offensive player for the Phillies as a singles hitter?

14. Jalyx Hunt, DE Eagles (24)

Geoff: A city like Philly can appreciate a true underdog story. Just a few years ago, Hunt was playing safety in the Ivy League, unknown to sports fans outside of Cornell. Now, he's a Super Bowl champion edge defender whose athleticism is jaw-dropping – and he's just scratching the surface.

The tools are already there. Once the 2024 third-round pick gets more experience, his path to becoming a household name in Philly won't have any obstructions.

15. Nakobe Dean, LB, Eagles (24)

Evan: Dean still has a long road back to the gridiron after tearing his left patellar tendon toward the end of last season, but he's proven that when he's healthy he's one of the better starting three-down linebackers in the NFL.

Dean did it all last season, his second in the NFL, tallying 128 tackles, nine for loss, with an interception, four fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and four pass breakups.

16. Andrew Mukuba, S, Eagles (22)

Geoff: It's been a long time since the Eagles hit in the draft on a safety, but this 2025 second-round pick shouldn't have to make Birds fans wait long to appreciate him. He's only 190 pounds but was known at Texas for playing big and doling out hits, which should play very well with the fan base.

His ability to move around, perhaps even play some nickelback, makes him a great fit for Vic Fangio's defense.

17. Oliver Bonk, D, London Knights (20)

Nick: The 2023 first-round selection that followed up the Michkov pick at No. 7 overall, Bonk projects to be a solid two-way defenseman in the NHL who leads the Flyers' prospect pipeline back on the blue line.

The 20-year-old Bonk put in another strong junior season for the London Knights on the way to the Memorial Cup, and is headed to the pros next to continue the Flyers' youth movement – though he'll likely be a Phantom first.

18. Denver Barkey, C, London Knights (20)

Nick: Barkey, also from the 2023 draft class as a third-round pick, is right there with Bonk.

A mono case in the summer and then injury later on cost Barkey some time this season, but he was a 25-goal, 82-point scorer when he was on the ice, piled on 20 more points through the OHL playoffs, and by the end, was hoisting the Memorial Cup as the Knights' captain.

The 20-year-old Barkey will also be making the jump into the pros this coming season, also likely as a Phantom to start.

19. Tyson Foerster, RW, Flyers (23)

Nick: Foerster caught fire down the stretch of this past season to set a career-high 25 goals and to make for back-to-back 20-plus goal seasons within his first two full years in the NHL.

Foerster's priority, by his own admission, was on the defensive end of his game coming into the league, but he gradually started tapping into his offense, which cemented him as an effective two-way forward and a clear piece of the Flyers' building core.

20. Orion Kerkering, RP, Phillies (24)

Evan: A one-eyed man is king in the land of the blind. The Phillies bullpen is awful right now, and they don't appear to have a ton of talent in the pipeline to help. Kerkering has had an up and down season but remains the anchor of the Phils' relief corps.

He has a solid 2.44 ERA over his first 92.1 career innings and projects to remain a late innings arm for seasons to come.

Just missed the list

21. Cam York, D, Flyers (24)

Nick: York had a tough season marred by injury and inconsistency, which puts him and the Flyers in a bit of an odd spot with his next contract. Do they settle on another bridge deal, or is the confidence there to commit long-term?

York is one of the last two restricted free agents the Flyers have to figure out a deal for this summer. He's flashed the potential to be a sound defenseman and a part of their future before. He's still young, too, but he might not be as untouchable as he was before as a former first-round prospect.

This coming season, under new head coach Rick Tocchet, will likely be a major one for the trajectory of York's career.

22. Justin Edwards, F, 76ers (21)

Adam: Edwards was a five-star recruit at nearby Imhotep Charter — the top high school player in the country, according to some — and his lone collegiate campaign at Kentucky was so disappointing that he went undrafted. Edwards signed with his hometown team on a two-way contract and immediately upon being given playing time he looked like an experienced veteran.

Edwards is now a real part of the Sixers' future as a wing player with defensive versatility, a quick trigger from long range and terrific feel for the game.

23. Ricky Council IV, G, 76ers (23)

Adam: Meanwhile, Council's lack of reliable decision-making on either end of the floor caused his stock to plummet in 2024-25.

After impressing as an undrafted rookie on a two-way deal the prior season, Council had numerous opportunities to prove he can be a viable NBA rotation as a sophomore and failed to do so. Edwards' emergence makes Council's outlook murky.

24. Quinn Sullivan, M, Union (21)

Geoff: One of the reasons for the Union leading the MLS Eastern Conference and having the league's second-most points around the halfway mark is because of Sullivan, the top facilitator of a high-scoring Union offense.

Sullivan leads the Union in assists and is among the MLS leaders in the category. He and teammate Nathan Harriel were named to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, so Union fans have another reason to get excited about him.

25. Alex Bump, LW, Phantoms (21)

Nick: Bump looks to have been a late bloomer as a 2022 fifth-round pick. He broke out into a collegiate star at Western Michigan and helped the school win the National Championship this past season. Then he signed on to join the Phantoms for their AHL playoff run and didn't blink, scoring two goals straight into their first-round series against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

"They don't like to defend," Bump said of his first pro playoff opponent. "Soft defenders, I think, in my opinion. So just working them down low. They don't like to do that at all. So keep them below the hashmarks, and then things will open up from there."

Yeah, he can be pretty cold, too, which might be what has helped shape him into a very possible diamond in the rough for the Flyers.

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