PFA Young Player of the Year Top 6: Who’s Really Winning the Future? | Data-Driven Breakdown

The PFA Shortlist: More Than Just a List

So, the PFA just dropped their 2024-25 Young Player of the Year top six—Drake, Wyssen, Skelly, Kolcz, Enwaniery, and Rogers. Not bad for a summer Tuesday. But let me tell you something most fans miss: this isn’t just an honor roll. It’s a prediction engine.

I’ve been tracking youth performance metrics since ’19—yes, I still have spreadsheets named after old Jordans—and this list? It’s a data-rich signal of where English football is headed.

And yes, I’m using that word “signal.” Because in my world, stats don’t lie—but people do. Especially when they vote.

Why Age Limits Matter (Spoiler: They’re Smarter Than You Think)

Back in 1973, you could win this award at 24. Now? Only players aged 21 or younger on July 1st qualify. That rule change wasn’t arbitrary—it was strategic.

It forces clubs to invest earlier. Scouts can’t wait till someone’s already famous. The real talent gets seen before it explodes.

And look at last year’s winner—Palmer. He wasn’t just good; he was efficient across multiple roles: playmaker, driver, finisher. His xG (expected goals) per 90 rose by 38% compared to his debut season—no fluke.

This year’s list shows similar signals: high ball progression rates in young midfielders like Kolcz and elite defensive actions from Wyssen despite limited minutes.

That’s not luck—that’s scalability.

The Hidden Gems: Skelly & Enwaniery Are Playing Beyond Their Years

Let me be direct: T.J. Skelly isn’t getting enough credit for his off-ball movement intelligence—an underrated metric in youth analysis.

His position-specific heat maps show he occupies key triangle zones almost every time he enters the final third—not because he’s flashy but because he reads space better than most pros.

Similarly, Enwaniery has played more minutes as a starter than any 18-year-old in Premier League history this season… and has averaged one shot per game with a conversion rate above average for his age group.

That kind of consistency doesn’t come from firecracker moments—it comes from structure.

Data says these guys aren’t outliers—they’re prototypes for next-gen attacking midfielders.

Driven by Numbers – Not Just Hype

Now let me address what everyone wants to know: Who wins? I won’t predict it—but I will say this: The player with the highest Player Impact Rating (PIR) based on our custom model—factoring in tackles won vs attempts faced + passing accuracy under pressure + non-penalty expected goals—is NOT even among the top three on fan polls… but they are in that shortlist.

The lesson? Vote with your eyes—but trust your models with your future bets.

The PFA award may be voted by players—but its legacy is built by data-driven decisions made years earlier by clubs investing in youth infrastructure.