Byron Young talks about honor of appearing in mock drafts

Tennessee EDGE Byron Young is one of the top prospects for the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. Young is fresh off of a week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, and still has the NFL Combine and Pro Day ahead of him before draft day. But Young has already been projected by some as a first-round pick, and was recently asked how neat it was to have his name in those conversations.

“Oh yeah, for sure,” Young said. “Growing up being that kid that always watches the draft and just seeing these different guys you look up to get drafted pretty early, that’s something I always dreamed of.”

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projected Young to be selected in the first round with the No. 20 overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the first edition of his 2023 mock draft, which is likely music to Young’s ears. But, he also understands that a lot can happen between now and draft day in April.

“Of course, I still got to put the work in and make that happen, but just the fact that somebody thinks of me being that guy in the first round and definitely people watching it’s good, it’s a great feeling man,” Young said.

Young had a phenomenal, two-year career with the Volunteers as an all-conference player that recorded 83 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks with Rocky Top. He’s proven what he can do on the field, and will be using the hype surrounding him as motivation to work on everything he needs to off the field ahead of the draft.

“I just feel like it’s a lot more motivation after seeing that, so I’m happy to see that, but at the end of the day I’ve definitely gotta put some more work in and make that come true,” Young said. “So that’s one of my main goals for sure.”

Byron Young shares what he learned during Senior Bowl

Tennessee edge Young participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama last week, putting his talents on display amongst some of the best college players in the country. Following the Senior Bowl, Young spoke about his experience, detailing what he learned and the areas he improved on.

“Oh yeah most definitely, especially playing the run. One of my biggest things I wanted to show the coaches and the scouts my ability to set the edge and run,” Young said.

Young put his skills on display all week at practice while also picking up some new knowledge along the way, which paid off on game day. In the Senior Bowl Young recorded two tackles along with a quarterback hurry that led to an interception return for a touchdown for the American team.

“So I definitely feel like I got better there just listening to the coaches and seeing the improvement on the field was amazing,” Young said.

There’s no question that Young was one of the best defensive lineman and edge rushers in the SEC this season, as he looks to continue that trend at the next level. The 2023 NFL Draft class is loaded with talent at Young’s position, and it’ll definitely be interesting to see where he lands in April following the NFL Combine and his pro day at Tennessee.