Byron Young, EDGE Tennessee: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Young was a three-star JUCO recruit from Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Ga. in the class of 2021

Tennessee edge rusher Byron Young has one of the best stories in the 2023 NFL Draft. In just a few years, he went from being an assistant manager at Dollar General to a potential top 100 selection. Young is a talented outside linebacker in a deep edge group.

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Byron Young, EDGE Tennessee: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior outside linebacker from Georgetown, S.C.

Background: Young was a three-star JUCO recruit from Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Ga. in the class of 2021. He previously attended Carvers Bay High School in Hemingway, S.C., where he failed to earn a star ranking from 247Sports upon graduating in 2017. Young was the No. 14 JUCO recruit according to 247Sports’ JUCO Composite board, an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals, and No. 9 for On3.com. He ranked 47th on the ESPN JC50 with a 75 grade out of 100. Young committed to Tennessee over offers from Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina, TCU, Texas, and several other programs. Young worked as an assistant manager at Dollar General for 18 months before earning a spot at Georgia Military College in a tryout. He tallied 31 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks, during the 2019 season with Georgia Military College. He was born on March 13, 1998.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed two games in 2021

Awards: 2022 First-Team All-SEC

Pros: Motor runs hot, motor shows up in pursuit plays downfield, athletic ability, change of direction skills, muscular build with little to no bad weight, quick off the snap, explosive first step, exciting linear speed, if he’s even he’s leaving, stresses tackles vertically, closing burst, converts speed to power, long-arm rush, flattens rush angle to the quarterback, some bend, reduces to half-man as he nears the rush apex, some pop in his hands to stun linemen, maintains speed and momentum on twists/stunts, keeps legs churning through contact, speed to chase down near-side run plays to the sideline, makes plays as a backside run defender, range, flows down the line to the ball

Cons: Age, lacks special teams versatility, lacks alignment versatility, sub-33-inch arms, lean frame, frame might be tapped out, a little high-hipped, lacks elite bend, still a lot of reps relying primarily on his athleticism, hand counters are underdeveloped, limited pass rush arsenal, doesn’t threaten inside rush lanes, pad level is inconsistent, false steps in his rush plan, needs to maximize length, chipping tight ends can derail his rush plan, offers nothing against double teams, washed down against the run, lacks anchor to hold the point of attack

Overview: Young took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6022 and weighs 250 lbs. He has 9 2/8-inch hands and 32 4/8-inch arms. Young had a 78 1/8-inch wingspan at the Senior Bowl. The 2022 Tennessee team captain plays with a high motor that shows up in pursuit plays downfield. His athletic skill set, change of direction skills, and muscular build (with little to no bad weight) pop on tape. Young’s first step is explosive, and he relies on his exciting linear speed and quickness off the line to stress tackles vertically. The rep is already over if he gets his inside shoulder even with the tackle’s outside shoulder. Young doesn’t have elite bend, but he shows enough bend to flatten his rush angle to the quarterback. The South Carolina native reduces his surface area at his rush’s apex. His closing burst takes ball carriers by surprise. As a pass rusher, Young occasionally converts speed to power and uses a long-arm rush. There’s enough pop in his hands to sometimes stun linemen. He's lethal on stunts because of his acceleration and leg drive. Young plays with enough speed to chase down near-side run plays to the sideline or make plays as a backside run defender. The JUCO product is one of the oldest prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he lacks a developed arsenal of pass rush moves and developed hand counters. Young still relies on his athleticism to win most reps, which could prove problematic at the next level. The Georgia Military College product has sub-33-inch arms and a lean, possibly tapped-out frame that appears a little high-hipped. Young can bend around the edge, but he lacks elite bend. He doesn’t attack inside rush lanes and plays with an inconsistent pad level. The All-SEC selection has some false steps in his rush plan and doesn’t maximize his arm length. Young lacks the power to handle chipping tight ends as a pass rusher. He offers nothing against double teams and gets washed down against the run. He can’t hold the point of attack against sturdy blockers.

Overall, Young flashes an explosive first step and tremendous linear speed to win the outside track. He also bends enough to flatten his rush to the quarterback. However, Young is a role-specific player who offers limited upside against the run. His lack of developed hand counters and pass rush moves is troublesome for an older prospect.

Role & Scheme Fit: Designated pass rusher or outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme

Round Projection: Late Third to Early Fourth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-13-23