Young vs. Old: Who'd win an All-Star matchup of Under-25s and Over-30s?
The physical demands of football will always make the sport more of a young man's game than anything else. This much is certain.
But that's not to say there aren't a host of NFL players bucking the trend and maintaining a high level of play well beyond the point others have given way to their more junior counterparts.
So rather than simply electing a team of Under-25 stars looking ahead to the 2017 season, why not evaluate how such a group stacks up against veterans still thriving at the opposite ends of their pro careers?
Here's a head-to-head comparison of theScore's All-Under-25 roster (comprised of those who will be no older than 24 when the season gets underway) and a 30-or-over team.
Let us know who you think would win in the poll below.
All-Under-25 Team| Position | Player | Week 1 Age |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Marcus Mariota | 23 |
| RB | Ezekiel Elliott | 22 |
| WR | Odell Beckham Jr. | 24 |
| WR | Mike Evans | 24 |
| WR | Amari Cooper | 23 |
| TE | Hunter Henry | 22 |
| OT | Taylor Decker | 24 |
| G | Shaq Mason | 24 |
| C | Ryan Kelly | 24 |
| G | Ali Marpet | 24 |
| OT | Jack Conklin | 23 |
Mariota gets the nod ahead of Jameis Winston because of his superior efficiency numbers. Winston's 50 touchdown passes through two seasons are five more than Mariota has tossed, but Winston has also given away 33 interceptions to Mariota's 19.
The strength of this offense is at the skill positions, where you can make a strong argument Elliott and Beckham are the best in the game at their respective positions regardless of age.
Though the All-Under-25 squad has five very promising young blockers up front, it could be a weakness the All-Over-30s can exploit.
| Position | Player | Week 1 Age |
|---|---|---|
| Edge | Joey Bosa | 22 |
| Edge | Jadeveon Clowney | 24 |
| DL | Leonard Williams | 23 |
| DL | Chris Jones | 23 |
| LB | Deion Jones | 22 |
| LB | Kwon Alexander | 23 |
| CB | Marcus Peters | 24 |
| CB | Jalen Ramsey | 22 |
| S | Landon Collins | 23 |
| S | Keanu Neal | 22 |
| DB | Byron Jones | 24 |
Bosa and Clowney coming off the edge is enough to give any offense nightmares.
Speed is the focus at linebacker, with a pair of playmaking LSU grads with sideline-to-sideline range getting the nod.
If the linebacking corps sacrifices a little muscle for speed, the safeties make up for it. Both Collins and Neal are thumpers. Jones, capable of playing any position in the secondary, is the perfect chess piece to have as a fifth defensive back.
| Position | Player | Week 1 Age |
|---|---|---|
| K | Wil Lutz | 23 |
| P | Riley Dixon | 24 |
| KR | Tyreek Hill | 23 |
Young kickers are rare, but at least Lutz is an NFL starter. This special teams unit gets a very big boost from the NFL's best return man in Hill.
All-Over-30 Team| Position | Player | Week 1 Age |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Aaron Rodgers | 33 |
| RB | Adrian Peterson | 32 |
| WR | Jordy Nelson | 32 |
| WR | Larry Fitzgerald | 34 |
| WR | Julian Edelman | 31 |
| TE | Greg Olsen | 32 |
| LT | Joe Thomas | 32 |
| G | Marshal Yanda | 32 |
| C | Alex Mack | 31 |
| G | Richie Incognito | 34 |
| RT | Jason Peters | 35 |
By age 30, many quarterbacks are just hitting their peak. Tom Brady has the resume, but Rodgers is the pick here because of his superior arm talent and athleticism.
If there's any running back capable of maintaining dominance well into his 30s, it's almost certainly the near-immortal Peterson. He could break records working with this beastly offensive line.
Don't expect any passes to be dropped by this ultra-reliable receiving corps. A fair concern with the trio, though, is the lack of high-end speed. Could the All-Under-25s take advantage with a more aggressive defensive scheme?
| Position | Player | Week 1 Age |
|---|---|---|
| Edge | Cameron Wake | 35 |
| Edge | Michael Bennett | 31 |
| DL | Ndamukong Suh | 30 |
| DL | Calais Campbell | 31 |
| LB | Sean Lee | 31 |
| LB | Jerrell Freeman | 31 |
| CB | Aqib Talib | 31 |
| CB | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | 31 |
| S | Eric Weddle | 32 |
| S | Devin McCourty | 30 |
| DB | Brent Grimes | 34 |
It shows what a freak James Harrison is that at age 39 he narrowly missed selection to this squad. At 35, Cameron Wake almost seems youthful. The interior of this line should give the All-Under-25s all kinds of trouble.
Defensive backs tend to age poorly in the NFL, but it really doesn't show at all with this bunch. This is a star-studded cast that's well-equipped to give the talented, yet inexperienced group of receivers all they can handle in their passing-game matchups.
| Position | Player | Week 1 Age |
|---|---|---|
| K | Stephen Gostkowski | 33 |
| P | Dustin Colquitt | 35 |
| KR | Darren Sproles | 34 |
There were several appealing options at kicker, but Gostkowski is the selection for his big leg and big-game experience. Sproles remains surprisingly spry for someone his age.
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