Los Angeles Rams select Byron Young in 3rd round of 2023 NFL Draft

Tennessee EDGE rusher Byron Young is now off the board at the 2023 NFL Draft. The Los Angeles rams selected him with the No. 77 overall pick in the 3rd round. While the Volunteers were highlighted for their impressive offensive performance last season, Young was one of the defensive stars on Rocky Top.

Heading into the NFL Combine, Young knew there were going to be a few things he needed to prove in front of league personnel. One of those was going up against the run and displaying his ability to set the edge. Heading out of Mobile, Young felt like he did a good job showcasing his abilities.

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

Young spent two seasons with Tennessee, recording a total of 81 tackles. However, he excelled at getting into the backfield, recording 23.5 tackles for a loss. Quarterbacks became quite familiar with him as well, as Young got 12.5 sacks. One of the best in the SEC over the course of his college career.

Young played junior college football at Georgia Military School, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 9 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Byron Young

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein gave his scouting report on Young following the NFL Combine. He talked about the positives and negatives the Tennessee product possesses when rushing the passer. However, he did mention how Young’s age may have played a factor in his draft stock.

“An explosive edge defender with disruptive play qualities, Young is still in the process of learning how to play his position,” Zierlein said. “His rush hands lack skill and he’s missing go-to counters, but that could be coachable for him. He creates chaos when using his twitchy first step to slant and twist but still needs to tune up the stack-and-shed technique and build out a cohesive rush approach.

“He will be a 25-year-old rookie with a lack of polish for his age, which could be a deterrent for some teams, but a fully fueled motor and strong desire to make plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage give him a shot to become a capable pro.”