20 in’26
What better way to welcome in this New Year than with a list of Philadelphia’s top 20 athletes 26 or younger?
On this list are eight Eagles, five Flyers, two Sixers, three members of the Union and two players who hope to be Phillies sooner than later on the list. Here we go with the list that had just one rule: the athlete had to be born in the 2000s to qualify. Yes, the rest of us are getting old.
Tyrese Maxey, G, Sixers, November 4, 2000
Maxey is the face of the franchise now and going forward. The 2020 first-round pick out of Kentucky averaged 25+ points and 6+ assists the past two seasons and he’s bolstered both of those numbers this season. Through a quarter of the 2025–26 season, he was averaging 32.3 points and 7.6 assists to lead the team in both categories. He may also be the Sixers most exciting player since some guy named Iverson.
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Eagles, July 18, 2001
The Eagles were very fortunate that Mitchell fell to them with the 22nd pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The first cornerback selected in that draft, he’s played like it. As a rookie, he was tasked at times with shadowing the opposition’s best wide receiver and he’s responded with shut down efforts. It’s hard to believe that in almost two full seasons, he has yet to have an interception. His 14 pass breakups in 12 games this season was among the league leaders.
Trevor Zegras, RW, Flyers, March 20, 2001
Acquired by the Flyers from Anaheim before the season and so far it looks like a great move. Through about one-third of the season, the Bedford, N.Y. native was tied for the team lead in goals (9) and led in assists (15), points (24), power play goals (3) and power play assists (6).
Jalen Carter, DL, Eagles, April 4, 2001
From purely a talent standpoint, Carter could be No. 1 on this list. But episodes such as being ejected before the start of the season opener against Dallas drops him a few notches down. The big lineman from the University of Georgia is the Eagles main cog up front and is the key to the entire defense. There’s a good chance the Eagles don’t win last year’s Super Bowl if Carter doesn’t get to the Rams Matthew Stafford in the final seconds of the second-round playoff game.
Matvei Michkov, RW, Flyers, December 9, 2004
One of the youngest players on the list, the 2023 first-round draft pick hasn’t taken a lot of time to establish himself as one of the Flyers stars. After scoring 26 goals in his rookie season, Michkov was off to a good start for the team in his second year and was a main reason the team also got off to a good start. He had eight goals and six assists, and his 16.7 percent shooting percentage was second best on the team.
Jordan Davis, DL, Eagles, Jan. 12, 2000
The big man came to camp this summer in the best shape of his career and garnered extended playing time up front because of it. Pigeonholed as a one-dimensional run stopper by some when he came out of Georgia, he’s shown the ability to collapse the pocket as well. As the defense carried the Eagles this season, Davis was one of the reasons why.
Cooper DeJean, DB, Eagles, February 9, 2003
One of the Super Bowl heroes for his pick-six of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, DeJean, in his two seasons out of Iowa, has emerged as one of the NFL’s best slot corners in the league. Eventually he could move to outside corner, or even to safety, and that kind of versatility is valuable, too.
VJ Edgecombe, G, Sixers, July 30, 2005
The rookie from Baylor is the youngest player on the list. Taken with the No. 3 pick overall by the Sixers in this past draft it hasn’t taken VJ long to become a factor for the team. Through the first third of the season, he was averaging 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. The future looks bright for him and a backcourt of him and Maxey.
Tyson Foerster, RW, Flyers, July 18, 2002
The Flyers first-round pick in the 2020 NHL draft, Foerster scored 25 goals in his second year and was off to a better start in his third year. Through about a third of the season, the right wing was tied for the team lead in goals with nine and had the best shooting percentage on the team at 23.1 percent.
Nakobe Dean, LB, Eagles, Dec. 13, 2000
Ask most any player on the Eagles defense who the team leader is and it will be near unanimous that it’s Dean. He also makes his presence felt on the field as well. In last year’s Super Bowl season, he had 128 tackles, forced four turnovers, had three sacks and nine tackles for a loss. Despite missing the first five games of this season, he still had three sacks, four tackles for a loss and a forced fumble in seven games.
Nolan Smith, Edge, Eagles, January 18, 2001
Another first-round pick out of Georgia, Smith made his name in last year’s postseason on the way to the Super Bowl. He had four sacks in four playoff games after a six-and-a-half sack regular season. His 2025 season has been marred by injury, but the soon-to-be 25-year-old should be heard from a lot over the next few years.
Jovan Lukic, M, Union, January 20, 2002
Considered by MLS followers to be the best overall young player on a Union team that finished atop the Eastern Conference in the regular season. Lukic, who played for the Serbia national team, is a key to the Union’s future.
Bobby Brink, RW, Flyers, July 8, 2001
In his fourth year with the Flyers, the 5-foot-8, 169-pound Brink had 10 points (six goals, four assists), including four on the power play through the first third of the season.
Jamie Drysdale, D, Flyers, April 8, 2002
The Flyers traded for Drysdale from Anaheim in the middle of the 2024–25 season. In his first full season with the team, he led the defensemen in points and assists a third of the way through the season. He was also a key to the defense being third in the league and second in the East in goals allowed.
Bruno Damiani, F, Union, April 18, 2002
The Uruguay native Damiani finished third on the team in goals with eight, and also added an assist for the first-place finisher in the East.
Jihaad Campbell, LB, Eagles, February 24, 2004
The 2025 first-round pick out of Alabama was a fixture on the Eagles defense to start the season, but saw his playing time dwindle when Dean came back from injury. Not to worry, his future with the team is bright.
Quinn Sullivan, M, Union, March 27, 2004
One of the youngest players on the Union, Sullivan finished second on the team with nine assists. The USA-born Sullivan also chipped in two goals on the season.
Aiden Miller, SS, Phillies, June 9, 2004
A shortstop with decent power, Miller could find his way onto the Phillies 26-man roster. Last year he split his time between AA Reading and AAA Lehigh Valley and had 14 home runs, 27 doubles, 82 walks and an OPS of .825.
Andrew Painter, P, Phillies, April 10, 2003
Once considered the best pitching prospect in all of MLB, Painter missed 2023 and 2024 after having Tommy John Surgery. He came back and struggled a bit in the minors in 2025, but his future is still bright, and 2026 spring training will be a key.
Tanner McKee, QB, Eagles, April 27, 2000
He may never see it with the Eagles, but the team’s backup QB has shown during preseason play he belongs in the NFL. It will be curious to see if he’s dealt this offseason, or if the team holds onto him to have a really good backup.
