Tennessee Just Felt Right For Disruptive JuCo Edge Rusher Byron Young

It did not look like Tennessee was going to have an eventful early signing period, as most of the Vols commitments were firm in their plans and there were no big decisions looming. However, Shelton Felton quietly pulled disruptive edge rusher Byron Young into the class and added a nice addition to help bolster the Vols pass rush next fall. 

Young, who was originally slated to make an announcement late in the month, shocked many when he announced he was committed and signed to play at Tennessee.

Following the announcement, he told VR2 on SI, "I just felt like it was the right time. I felt really great about the great about the program."

He added, "me and coach Felton have a great relationship. He is one of the main reasons I committed."

Felton has also been a key part of Dylan Brook's recruitment, and he helped bring in under the radar, two-way lineman, Amari McNeill, in his first cycle on the trail for Tennessee. 

Young said, " I am just most excited about moving to the next level and competing."

He said Tennessee is getting "a hard-working and dependable player."

Young has had an incredible journey to get to this point. He worked as an assistant manager at a dollar general for 18 months to make ends meet. 

His defensive coordinator at Georgia Military told Jeff Sentell of Dawgnation.com last month, "“It is just kind of like a Hallmark story or something. Definitely a Disney movie in a way that it has all gone down. You know he’s a little bit older now than most junior college freshmen.”

VR2 on SI's signing day evaluation of Young states: On film, Young plays angry. Not dirty or sloppy, but angry. There is an attitude and edge to the way he plays the game. He explodes into blockers and delivers heavy blows to running backs. Everything that Young does, he does with bad intentions. As skilled and physically blessed as Young is, the fact that he plays hateful looking to punish players on offense is what shows up the most on film. He doesn’t just beat blockers, he drives them back and puts them on their back. He doesn’t just tackle running backs, he arrives with a little something extra, he ends wrap-up tackles with a snap that slams ball carriers to the ground. Again, the tackles and hits are clean and disciplined with good technique, they are just given that little bit extra to punish ball carriers and make them think twice. It is the kind of hard nosed and aggressive attitude that defensive coaches love to see in their linebackers, especially one as physically imposing as Young is."

Young will have three years of eligibility at Tennessee.