Byron Young (linebacker)

Byron Young (born March 13, 1998) is an American football linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia Military College for one season before transferring to Tennessee.

Early years
Young attended Carvers Bay High School in Hemingway, South Carolina. Barely recruited coming out of high school, Young worked at Dollar General before walking on at Georgia Military College in 2020.

College career
Following one season at Georgia Military College, Young was ranked the number 10 Junior College prospect and committed to Tennessee over Ole Miss. Initially a backup in his first season at Tennessee in 2021, Young started the last 8 games recording 46 total tackles and led the team with 5.5 sacks.

In the Volunteers Week 6 game against LSU in 2022, Young recorded 2.5 sacks and was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) defensive lineman of the week for his performance. At the conclusion of the season he was named to the All-SEC first team.

Professional career
Young was drafted in the third round (77th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2023 NFL draft. The Rams acquired the 77th overall pick from the Miami Dolphins after trading cornerback Jalen Ramsey for tight end Hunter Long.

2023 season: Rookie year
Heading into his first training camp & preseason, Byron Young was a starting outside linebacker. At the end of the NFL preseason, head coach Sean McVay named Young a starting outside linebacker to begin the season, opposite Michael Hoecht.

Byron Young made his first career start and NFL debut in the Rams' Week 1 victory against the Seattle Seahawks, notching his first career split-sack and playing in 84% of the defensive snaps during the win. The following week, he notched his first full career sack in the Rams' 30-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He would notch another half-sack in the Rams' 16-19 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals the following week. Against the Green Bay Packers in Week 9, Young recorded his first multi-sack game, although the Rams lost 20-3. He finished the season recording three more sacks in his final five games of the season.

As a rookie, Young played in all 17 games (16 starts) and played in 85% of the team's defensive snaps. He finished his rookie season leading all rookie edge rushers with 8 sacks, 61 total tackles (42 solo), two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Additionally, Young earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors at the end of the season.