The Detroit Lions had a plan this offseason to get younger and deeper at a number of positions to foster more competition. Detroit enters the 2026 season with one of the league's youngest rosters in football led by a core group of players now in their prime.

Here's a look at five players under 25 to watch in 2026 and beyond:

1. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs, 24

Gibbs enters the 2026 season as one of the favorites for Offensive Player of the Year as he's going to be the bell cow for Detroit's run game. With the upgrades the Lions made upfront along their offensive line this offseason, it could be a monster year for Gibbs.

"We're going to hang our hat on him quite a bit," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said of his three-time Pro Bowl running back this offseason. "We're going to do a lot of things we feel like he does well."

Gibbs is the first player in franchise history and only the eighth player in NFL history to produce at least 1,800 scrimmage yards and 18 scrimmage touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. His 49 touchdowns are the most in NFL history through a player's first three seasons and his 5,029 scrimmage yards are the eighth-most in league history for a player before turning 24.

2. Safety Brian Branch, 24

Branch is progressing through rehab after tearing his Achilles late last season in December. The expectation is for Branch to potentially return to the field sometime in October or November.

In just three seasons, Branch has become one of the most versatile defensive backs in the league with his ability to play multiple positions at a Pro Bowl level.

He is the only NFL player since at least 1999 to have 30 passes defended, 15 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles through three career seasons. Branch and cornerback Alontae Taylor are the only players in the NFL to total at least 30 passes defended and 15 tackles for loss over the last three years.

3. Defensive lineman Tyleik Williams, 23

Young players like Williams usually take their biggest leap in development and production from Year 1 to Year 2, and he is expecting a big boost in production in 2026 having a year under his belt.

"For me, just more pressure on the quarterback," Williams said after last season of an area of his game he wanted to have more impact this season. "I won some rushes, but I'm not winning them at the rate I want to win them at."

Williams had one sack, three quarterback hits and 17 total quarterback pressures last year playing 40 percent (446) of the defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus statistics. He's expected to see a greater share of the reps this season and will have the benefit of playing next to a healthy Alim McNeill who is now more than a year removed from his ACL injury.

Williams is a unique athlete for his size and now with some experience under his belt and a full offseason to train for football, he and the Lions are expecting big things in his second season.

4. Wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, 24

TeSlaa looks to be in a perfect position heading into his second season to succeed. The Lions' offense has so many weapons in Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta that TeSlaa should be a player who benefits from a ton of one-on-one opportunities.

He recorded six touchdowns on just 27 targets as a rookie, showing off a huge catch radius at 6-foot-4 and soft hands. He now steps into the No. 3 receiver role in this offense with a chance to blow his rookie numbers out of the water. Quarterback Jared Goff has built trust with TeSlaa and he could be especially dangerous this season in the red zone.

"We really like TeSlaa. We feel like he's taken off," Campbell said this offseason. "You'd be hard-pressed to say that he didn't make the most growth of any rookie.

"He can do it all. He's tough, he's big. I would say catch radius. That's one of the best things, his body control and catch radius. That's kind of his trick, man."

TeSlaa focused on adding quickness and more separation to his game this offseason and that's shown up in OTAs and minicamp.

5. Cornerback Terrion Arnold, 23

Arnold heads into what feels like a make or break third season competing to be the starter opposite D.J. Reed at one of the outside cornerback spots. Arnold is coming off a shoulder injury and was a limited participant in OTAs and minicamp but is expected to be back in full for the start of training camp.

He played in eight games (seven starts) before being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury last year.

It's a big season for the former first-round pick to show he can be a consistent and productive starter on the outside of Kelvin Sheppard's defense. Opposing passers have completed 57.9 percent of their passes with a 96.3 passer rating and seven touchdowns in 24 career games throwing at Arnold.

He's got to show the Lions he can take the next step. If he does, this defense has a chance to be significantly better against the pass (ranked 20th in pass defense in 2025) in 2026.