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NFL 2025 Draft
When: Thursday-Saturday, April 24-26
TV: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network
Note: Round 1 will run on Thursday night.
Nix has already turned 25. Michael Penix Jr. will get there in May.
Both quarterbacks were first-round picks last year. They were among 56 players age 24 or older drafted in 2024.
That number was up from 54 in 2023, 44 in 2022, 16 in 2021 and 19 in 2020.
There have been more older prospects drafted in recent years because the COVID-19 pandemic gave players an option to stay in school an extra year. Even though the window is ending, the transfer portal and NIL deals might continue to keep some players in school longer.
Teams used to shy away from older prospects. Scouts and general managers once considered the age of 24 a red flag in some cases.
But the success of guys like Nix and Jayden Daniels, who turned 24 during an outstanding rookie season, shows that experience can help players make an immediate impact in the pros.
"I came from BYU, where kids go on missions for a couple years, and so people go: 'Well, they're too old,'" Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "Well, then they come in and they do a pretty good job. So, and really, if you start taking averages of careers, career length, there's maybe a cutoff somewhere, but the careers aren't very long as it is. But we do look at (age), though."
A majority of the older players selected in the draft last year were Day 3 picks, going in the sixth or seventh round. That indicates teams are more likely to overlook age later in the draft.
"It's just unique to where we're at right now in kind of the football world," Raiders general manager John Spytek said. "You got guys with sixth and seventh years really, and so you've got to talk about a value of are we going to have a problem with the 25- or 26-year-old? Some people have more problems with that. I'm just looking for good football players."
The number of older players drafted will decrease this season. There are 46 players age 23 or older who are draft eligible, including 17 who are 24 or older.
Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough, who turns 26 in September, was the oldest player at the scouting combine. He spent seven years at three colleges, including Oregon, where he backed up Justin Herbert in 2019, and Texas Tech.
Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy, San Jose State wideout Nick Nash and Arkansas receiver Andrew Armstrong were among the 24-year-old draft prospects at the combine.
Teams that stick to the old philosophy of avoiding older players limit their talent pool.
"I think sometimes you have to ask yourself, are you trying to get this guy for 12 years? If you're looking for that, it's a small percentage," 49ers general manager John Lynch said. "Or are you looking for one contract and then hopefully more? It's an interesting topic. It's one we constantly discuss. There are pluses and minuses to both sides."
College experience is most valuable for quarterbacks. Nix and Daniels proved it last year when they led their teams to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson threw just 393 passes in college before the Colts drafted him No. 4 overall in 2023. He has struggled to adjust at the NFL level.
The oldest player ever selected in the draft was quarterback Chris Weinke. He was 28 years and 264 days old when the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 2000 draft. Weinke started just 20 games in the NFL, going 2-18.