Byron Young's NFL draft scouting report: Can he be picked among the first 50?

Defensive lineman Byron Young is a quick, agile athlete who competes with flexibility and aggressiveness. Soon to be 25, Byron Young will appear to be a relatively older potential, but NFL franchises will admire his spirit because of his background. If they can tame some of his inclinations, Byron Young should be able to play right away as a rookie.

Young's defensive end archetype leans more towards pass-rushing. Young began his career in junior college and finished it in 2022 with seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

In 10 outings in 2021, he recorded one interception, 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. During his undergraduate career, he participated in several productive sessions and dominated the offensive tackles that competed at this year's Senior Bowl.

Many experts believe Young will be selected towards the first 70 NFL Draft prospects in 2023. He is expected to go in the third or fourth round. But Young's versatility might make him a top-50 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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How did Byron Young perform at the Combine?

At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, defensive end Byron Young became the first player out of Tennessee to participate in on-field assessments and drills. Young got things going quickly.

The powerful pass-rush defensive end, who was placed second in the 40-yard dash and vertical leap, also finished joint top for first in the broad jump. He was one of the top edge players in terms of performance. Young's performance was highlighted by a time of 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

In his second effort at the 40-yard dash, Young ran an unofficial 4.48 seconds, which was better than his initial attempt's mark of 4.51 seconds. Only Georgia's Nolan Smith's fantastic time of 4.39 seconds was faster.

Young was highly noteworthy on the field drills, and in the waves and coverage drills, he resembled an off-ball linebacker.

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What will Byron Young bring to the NFL?

Young utilizes a mixture of hand force and quickness to assault blockers. He contributed by describing his game as combative and how he attacks the line of scrimmage.

"I make an effort to hold myself to that standard: swift and strong. I want to get off the ball pretty quickly on every rep and build from that," said Young.

Young still has the speed-to-power qualities that will help him dominate opponents despite lacking the ideal stature that most NFL teams seek in edge rushers.