Young, who is 6 feet 5 inches and 264 pounds, is a four-year NFL veteran who was originally chosen out of Ohio State by the Washington Commanders with the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He appeared in 43 regular season games with 32 starts in four seasons between the Washington (2020–23) and the San Francisco 49ers (2023). He finished with 100 tackles (67 solo), 16.5 sacks for a loss of 87 yards, 20 stops for loss, nine passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
After a midseason trade, Young played in 16 regular season games with six starts in 2023 for both the Commanders and 49ers. Fully recovered from a season-ending knee injury sustained in 2021, he recorded 25 tackles (17 solo), tied his career-high with 7.5 takedowns, added two passes defensed, and had a career-best 15 quarterback hurries. During the postseason, Young was elevated to the starting lineup for the NFC champion 49ers. In three games, he recorded eight stops (six solo), one sack, and two stops for loss. In the team’s overtime loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII, Young recorded two tackles and one sack/stop for loss.
The native of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, led Washington with four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, including one that was returned for a touchdown, and recorded 44 tackles (32 solo), ten stops for loss, and 7.5 sacks in 2020. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl and named Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.
In three seasons at Ohio State from 2017-2019, Young appeared in 34 games, racking up 98 tackles (68 solo), 30.5 sacks, 40.5 stops for loss, nine forced fumbles and eight passes defensed. His 30.5 sacks in three seasons, ranks second all-time in school history behind Mike Vrabel, who had 36 in four seasons. In his final campaign as a Buckeye, Young was the nucleus of Ohio State’s defense, leading the country and setting school records in sacks (16.5) and sack yards (117) on his way to being selected a unanimous All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, one of just ten defensive players to be a finalist for the award since 1982. In his junior season, Young won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award, Chicago Tribune Silver Football, Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year.
