Crimson Tide Scouting Report: Defensive Lineman Byron Young
Heading into his junior year, Alabama defensive lineman Byron Young has been credited with 52 career tackles in 26 games, including eight tackles for a loss and two sacks.
But he's been the equivalent of an offensive lineman on defense as a lot of his responsibilities often lead to someone else making a play.
At 6-foot-3, 292 pounds Young's not going to get a lot of sacks, but he's long and disruptive, which makes him a royal pain to play against, especially for offenses that like to try and establish the run.
For example, last year against Arkansas, he had seven tackles and a fumble recovery while the Crimson Tide notched eight sacks.
Pros
An athletically gifted 3-4 defensive end, Young started games as a true freshman for the Crimson Tide. His first step is quick, not giving blockers a chance to get comfortable in their sets. Converting get off into power, he arrives low with violence at the point of attack, twisting and uprooting blockers. Young possesses length and knows how to use it to his advantage with his push-pull and long-arm moves being successful. As a run defender, he is quick enough to attack gaps, using his hands to stay clean or locking out and controlling two gaps. Young is a reliable tackler and smart run defender with good eyes to locate ball carriers.
Cons
Despite his get off, he can be slow to time it, costing him the initiative. His pass rush moves do not always connect as he can whiff with swipes. Young's gap penetration does not translate to his pass-rushing where he fails to get quick wins. He gets put on the ground by violent body blows from the side. Young can struggle to disengage from blockers that latch on to him.
Summary
Long armed 3-4 defensive end who has good explosiveness and flexibility. Young knows how to take advantage of his length as a pass rusher or run defender. His athleticism allows him to penetrate gaps and convert it into power. Only a true junior, he is still adding secondary moves and refining his hand usage. Young projects as an eventual starter at defensive end who can contribute in a rotation out of the gate. He has two-gapping ability but also fits a penetration style front due to his athleticism.
Grade: 7.4 (current)/8.4 (potential)
BamaCentral Analysis
Because he's not a flashy pass-rusher, Young may be one of the most overlooked players on the Crimson Tide. He's also been a solid contributor for two years and a lot of times his success doesn't translate to individual stats. Last season, he was credited with 29 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss and one sack, plus one fumble recovery. One of the things we like the most about him is the way he can totally mess up an offensive lineman trying to set the edge. We're not sure where Young will be on the depth chart for the 2021 season due to Alabama's incredible depth, but he'll be a big part of the rotation.
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Crimson Tide Scouting Report is a 17-part series on Alabama's prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft, with evaluations by NFL Draft Bible and analysis by BamaCentral. Check out his profile on NFL Draft Bible.
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