Ram Digest

Who is the Rams' Most Underrated Defensive Player?

On a young Los Angeles Rams defense, pass rusher Byron Young slithers in the background as an underrated defender on the unit.
Jared Feinberg|
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (0) against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (0) against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Rams

When Aaron Donald last offseason, the Los Angeles Rams were tasked with finding not necessarily his replacement but players who can fill multiple roles that Donald was able to do during his illustrious Hall of Fame career.

General manager Les Snead and defensive coordinator Chris Shula were able to accomplish this with one of the youngest defensive front sevens in the NFL last season. It was a culmination of the last few offseasons of a roster shakeup that had some believing the Rams were rebuilding.

Since 2023, standouts such as defensive linemen Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske were drafted along with 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, edge rusher Jared Verse. They also signed veteran Poona Ford in free agency to pair with the young trench players while also drafting Brennan Jackson and Josaiah Stewart to give the Rams depth on the edges.

However, there is one play that continues to be an afterthought of sorts. 2023 third-round draft pick and pass rusher Byron Young has become one of the key pieces of Los Angeles's fierce defensive front that has offered plenty of excitement to fans ahead of the season.

Young has been quite productive since being a Day Two selection out of Tennessee. His 15.5 sacks since 2023 are third-most amongst players from that draft behind teammate Kobie Turner and third-overall draft choice Will Anderson, one of the top edge rushers in the NFL. Young finished third in sacks on the Rams defense and showcased he will likely remain a productive force at the position.

Young is an older player for someone entering his third season. He was 25-years old when he was drafted two seasons ago, with some concerned about his limited ceiling as a player. However, he has showcased why some shouldn't fret on his age with how he has produced and performed since 2023.

The Rams have an explosive pass rusher in Young, who knows how to stress the outside shoulder of offensive tackles while having the hip and ankle flexion to dip and bend under the arms of edge blockers. He's shown to be a meance on stunt and twist games that allow him to overwhelm interior blockers with speed and quickness like this sack below against Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

Young is a dangerous player on the Rams defense. He has clear strengths and weaknesses but his skill set and what he brings to the table as the unit's explosive speed rusher gives the defensive front options on how he can be deployed moving forward. While he may be the most underrated defender of the team overall, that could change for the better in 2025.

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Jared Feinberg
JARED FEINBERG

Jared Feinberg, a native of western North Carolina, has written about NFL football for nearly a decade. He has contributed to several national outlets and is now part of our On SI team as an NFL team reporter. Jared graduated from UNC Asheville with a bachelor's degree in mass communications and later pursued his master's degree at UNC Charlotte. You can follow Jared Feinberg on Twitter at @JRodNFLDraft