Saints' Chase Young Was So Overrated That He's Now Underrated

When New Orleans Saints edge rusher Chase Young was playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes, the hype surrounding him was palpable. He was considered one of the best defensive line prospects in recent memory back in 2020, and he was selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick of that NFL Draft.

Young got off to a great start in his professional career, racking up 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries during his rookie campaign, making the Pro Bowl and winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Since then, however, Young's production has largely stagnated.

Injuries limited the Ohio State product to just 12 games between 2021 and 2022, and throughout that span, he logged a grand total of 1.5 sacks. The Commanders then lost patience with Young midway through 2023, trading him to the San Francisco 49ers.

Young quietly totaled 7.5 sacks in 16 games between Washington and San Francisco that year, but that ensuing offseason, he signed a one-year deal with the Saints. New Orleans apparently really liked how he performed in 2024, as it inked him to a three-year, $51 million extension this past March.

The cash-strapped Saints were instantly lambasted for their decision, with many wondering why they would commit $17 million in average annual value to a pass rusher who registered just 5.5 sacks last season. It has actually gotten to a point where Young, who was once overrated, has become one of the more underrated players in football.

A deeper look into Young's statistics show that he was actually pretty good in his debut campaign in the Bayou. While his sack numbers looked a bit skimpy, he rattled off 21 quarterback hits, a career high. He also registered 47 hurries and 66 total pressures, which ranked fifth and seventh in the league, respectively.

Those stats demonstrate that Young — who is still just 26 years old, by the way — could be knocking on the door to a potential breakout season in 2025.

We know Young has the talent. After all, he amassed 27 sacks over his final two years in Columbus between 2018 and 2019, leading the country with 16.5 during the latter season. He was so good in his last year with the Buckeyes that he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.

Will Young ever develop into what many felt he would be when he entered the draft five years ago? Maybe not, but there is no reason to believe that he can't break through with double-digit sack showing this coming fall.

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