The top 25 NFL players under the age of 25

22. DE Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville Jaguars

Here’s something to contemplate. Is it harder to block Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive end Yannick Ngakoue or is it more difficult to pronounce his name?

All kidding aside, it’s Yah-NEEK In-GAH-kway. And that’s a walk in the park when it comes to opposing offensive linemen trying to keep the three-year pro out of the backfield and away from their quarterback. The 2016 third-round pick from the University of Maryland has played 16 games in each of his first three seasons. And with the exception of his very first-regular-season outing in Week 1 of his rookie campaign, he’s been in the opening lineup ever since.

Ngakoue would finish his debut campaign with 23 tackles, eight sacks and four forced fumbles while totaling one interception and knocking down two passes. The 6’2”, 246-pound defender was even more relentless on his way to a Pro Bowl nod one year later. The 24-year-old edge performer 30 tackles, one dozen QB traps, six forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries. This past season proved to be a disappointing year for the team. But Ngakoue finished second on the team with 9.5 sacks, to go along with 28 total stops.

Jacksonville’s defense wasn’t as opportunistic this past year as it was during its playoff season in 2017. But it’s hard to blame the three-year defensive end, although he could improve his play against the run a bit (as could the entire team). But this relentless pass-rusher, with 29.5 sacks in 48 regular-season games, is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Next: No. 21