Who Is the Youngest Player in NFL History? (2024)

Who is the youngest player in NFL history? The league is over 100 years old, and through that time, thousands of players have come and gone.

The league was created in Canton, OH, in 1920, and since its conception, there have been rules and stipulations for who can join the league. As a result, there are age requirements that need to be met to be eligible.

In order to be eligible for the NFL Draft, you need to be at least three years removed from high school. The age of the youngest player to play in the NFL may actually surprise you.

Who Is the Youngest Player in NFL History?

The youngest player in NFL history is none other than former Houston Texans draft pick Amobi Okoye. Okoye was born June 6, 1987, and was just 19 years old at the time of being drafted 10th overall by the Texans in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Okoye attended the University of Louisville, where he completed his psychology degree in just three and a half years. Okoye went on to play six seasons in the NFL, suiting up for both the Texans and the Chicago Bears. He recorded 177 tackles and 16 sacks in his career.

Who Is the Runner-Up?

The second youngest to ever play in the NFL is Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter. Like Okoye, Hunter was drafted when he was 19 years old as well but just missed out on being the youngest by four months.

Hunter is going into his ninth season in the NFL, has carved out a nice career for himself, and has looked like one of the league’s most feared pass rushers at times.