Zion Young Becomes First Mizzou Player Selected in 2026 NFL Draft

Young was selected in Round 2 of the draft.

Oct. 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Mizzou Defensive End Zion Young hypes up the bench during the third quarter | Sam Simon/MissouriOnSI

For the third consecutive year, a Missouri player was selected in the first 50 selections of the NFL draft.

Missouri edge rusher Zion Young extended the streak by being selected with the No. 45 pick in Round 2 by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2026 NFL draft.

With the streak now at three years, it marks the longest such streak for the program since 2009-11. Young follows up the 2025 class, where Missouri's Armand Membou was selected with the No. 7 pick, and Luther Burden III was selected at pick No. 39. Edge rusher Darius Robinson started the current streak, being selected with pick No. 27 in 2024.

READ: What Zion Young is Bringing to the NFL, Prospect Analysis

The selection of Young also solidifies another piece of evidence for Missouri's ability to produce elite edge rushers, as the Tigers have now had an edge rusher selected in three of the last four drafts.

Young entered the transfer portal after spending the first two years of his career at Michigan State. He transferred to Missouri, following Robinson as a leader on the Tigers' defensive line.

"They taught me a lot," Young said of the Missouri staff. "First off to prepare, the consistency in my preparation, just working hard."

In his two years with Missouri, Young recorded 83 total tackles, five pass deflections, nine sacks and three forced fumbles. Young He earned first-team All-SEC honors in his final season. Young has an NFL-ready , 6-foot-5, 262-pound frame. His power at the line of scrimmage makes him a force on the defensive line. He also improved significantly as a run defender throughout his college career, becoming a reliable edge setter for the Tigers.

At Missouri, Young quickly showed his new coaching staff his work ethic at his first workout with the team.

"So he got changed, went in there, puked three times during the workout," head coach Eli Drinkwitz recalled. "And every time he puked, he just came back and kept working, and we just knew he was going to be the right fit for our culture."

Oct 18, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) moves in to tackle Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) during the fourth quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. | John Reed-Imagn Images

Young also became a clear leader. During the 2025 season, linebacker Josiah Trotter joked with reporters that if you heard somebody talking in the locker room, it was likely Young.

"Just messing with people just talking with people, just Zion being Zion," Trotter said. "That's just his personality, we love Zion being who he is."

Once the leader in the locker room, Young now leads this draft class for Missouri players, being the first Tiger off the board. Several of his teammates are expected to hear their name called over the last two days of selections. Along with Young, five other Missouri players received invites to the NFL Scouting Combine — linebacker Josiah Trotter, defensive tackle Chris McClellan, offensive tackle Keagen Trost, wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. and cornerback Toriano Pride Jr.