There is plenty of young talent around the NFL, and two Chargers teammates recently topped their respective positions in NFL.com's "2022 All-Under-25 Team."
In a roster compiled by NFL.com's Nick Shook, the only criteria was that the player be younger than 25 years old by the time the 2022 season kicks off. Starting at quarterback in Shook's roster was none other than Justin Herbert, who is preparing for his third year in the NFL.
Shook wrote:
The quarterbacks who have appeared in this space in the last couple of years have aged out. That means it's time for a third-year star to make his first and only appearance on this list before he, too, turns 25. Herbert's trajectory has surprised just about everyone (Chargers likely included) to this point, and the sky might not even be the limit for the incredibly accurate and poised former Oregon Duck.
The 24-year-old quarterback is coming off a season that saw him surpass 5,000 passing yards and throw for 38 touchdowns. He came onto the scene as a rookie with an impressive debut, throwing for 31 touchdowns and 4,336 yards in the 15 games he started. After another leap in his sophomore season, Herbert stamped himself as one of the NFL's brightest young stars with his arm, mobility and ability to navigate pressure. With another leap in his third year, Herbert could go from rising star to superstar.
Take a look at some of the best shots of Justin Herbert's 2022 offseason
Just like his teammate, tackle Rashawn Slater made his presence known in his rookie year as he proved to be one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL from Day One. Alongside Tampa Bay's Tristan Wirfs, Slater took one of the tackle slots in Shook's roster.
Shook wrote:
Slater was an effective tackle from his very first NFL game and finished in the top eight among all tackles in the NFL in terms of overall offensive grade, per Pro Football Focus. After facing far too much pressure in his first season, Justin Herbert learned he could count on Slater to protect him in 2021. The Chargers have their franchise cornerstone at quarterback and left tackle.
The 13th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Slater fit right in with the offensive line and took on tough assignments throughout the season to earn All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. As Shook noted, Slater's strong play at left tackle helped the offensive line show overall improvement in 2021.
With the Chargers selecting Herbert and Slater in back-to-back years, the foundation of the offense appears to have been set.
