Predicting the best NFL player on each AFC team in 5 years

NFL Predictions: Best AFC South Players in 5 Years

Indianapolis Colts: Quenton Nelson

Nelson is already one of the league’s best offensive linemen, so betting on his sustained success seems pretty simple. Since the Colts drafted him sixth overall in 2018, Nelson has been a first-team All-Pro every season. Let that sink in. Even if Indianapolis lands another superstar, great offensive linemen tend to stay great for a while, as I keep saying.

While I project Jonathan Taylor to have a good career, it’s tough for running backs to stay atop the proverbial mountain. As of this writing, only four running backs 30 or older are on an NFL team. Luckily, Taylor will be 27 in five years. His trajectory still doesn’t dispel the likelihood of Nelson being the Colts’ best player in 2026.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence

Wait, a rookie? He hasn’t even taken a snap yet! And didn’t you just point out the shortcomings of first-overall picks! To address any criticism about this pick, I challenge you to find a player with a higher ceiling on the Jaguars’ roster. C.J. Henderson and Josh Allen have looked good at times, but neither player has the upside Lawrence brings.

It’s interesting because for all the capital Jacksonville has to build around Lawrence, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Lawrence becomes the new Matthew Stafford: A super talented player with little to no help around him. Lawrence has been so praised that anything short of constant playoff contention would be a disappointment. Then again, Stafford wasn’t the issue; it was the team that failed him. That mini-rant aside, how could I not pick Lawrence here?

Houston Texans: Laremy Tunsil

In case you forgot, there are still some good players left on the Texans. (I use the word “some” very loosely.) All signs suggest Deshaun Watson has played his last down for the franchise, so Tunsil remains the best player on the team. Luckily for this exercise, he’s only 26. It’s not outlandish to peg a 31-year-old left tackle as his team’s best player.

In all likelihood, Tunsil will not be a Houston Texan in five years. This team is headed toward a long, painful rebuild, so shipping off their best players makes sense. Honestly, I doubt anyone on this roster will be with the team in five years, but if anyone has the best chance to do so, it’s Tunsil.

Tennessee Titans: A.J. Brown

I had a much tougher time with Tennessee than I thought I would. For all the questionable moves and roster holes they created this offseason, they still have some nice young talent. Kevin Byard is arguably one of the most underrated defensive players in the NFL, and Harold Landry has looked really good at times during his first three seasons. Taylor Lewan and Derrick Henry are stalwarts at their respective positions, yet age will be an issue in five seasons, probably much sooner for Lewan.

As for Brown, his career as a top-five wide receiver is just getting started. He burst onto the scene as a rookie when he posted 1,000 receiving yards, and he followed it up with another 1,000-yard season in 2020. Now, Brown is the lone Titans’ pass-catcher remaining, similar to Davante Adams in Green Bay the last few seasons. The arrow continues to point up for Brown’s young career.