Byron Young – Page 4 – Syndication Server

Two former Vols named to PFWA All-Rookie Team

Two former Vols named to PFWA All-Rookie Team.

Two former Vols were named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team Tuesday.

Darnell Wright and Byron Young were honored and Tennessee was one of seven schools to have multiple players named to the 2023 PFWA All-Rookie Team.

Wright, who plays for Chicago, was the SEC’s highest drafted offensive lineman in 2023 (No. 10 overall). He started 17 games for the Bears and played 99.6 percent of the team’s snaps, the most of any Chicago player.

Young, an edge rusher for the Los Angeles Rams, was drafted in the third round (No. 77 overall).

He helped Los Angeles reach the playoffs during his rookie campaign, totaling 61 total tackles, eight sacks, 19 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Young was second among all NFL rookies in sacks.

Rams land NFL-high 4 players on PFWA’s 2023 All-Rookie Team

The Rams had 4 players selected to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, the most of any team in the NFL this year

The Pro Football Writers of America gave the Los Angeles Rams’ rookie class a ton of praise on Tuesday with the release of its 2023 All-Rookie Team. The PFWA voted four Rams to the team, which is the most of any team in the NFL this season.

Puka Nacua was selected at wide receiver, with Steve Avila making it at guard. On defense, Kobie Turner and Byron Young were both selected after putting together outstanding seasons with nine and eight sacks, respectively.

The next-closest team to the Rams was the Lions, who had three players selected. A total of 17 teams had rookies selected by the PFWA.

The only other Rams player who had a case was punter Ethan Evans, but he didn’t have the season that Bryce Baringer of the Patriots had. Evans averaged only 38.4 net yards per punt, which was the second-worst among qualified punters.

The PFWA also announced its Rookie of the Year awards, which came with some bad news for two Rams hopefuls. Nacua was edged out by C.J. Stroud, who won Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year. Fellow Texans standout Will Anderson Jr. was voted the Defensive Rookie of the Year by the PFWA, too, beating out Turner.

These aren’t the official awards recognized by the NFL like the Associated Press’ awards, but it’s an indication that Nacua and Turner could be snubbed when the AP reveals its selections next month.

Only one Rams rookie made ESPN’s top 10 from 2023 season

The Rams had several standout rookies this season, but only one of them cracked ESPN’s top 10

The Los Angeles Rams don’t win 10 games and reach the playoffs this season if not for their rookie class. They entered the year needing to come away with at least one or two impactful rookies, and they landed four starters, as well as a punter.

Puka Nacua was one of the best receivers in the NFL and set several rookie records, including the most receiving yards and catches in a player’s first season. Kobie Turner and Byron Young ranked first and second among rookies in sacks, finishing with nine and eight, respectively. Steve Avila not only started all 17 games at left guard, but he didn’t miss a single snap.

ESPN ranked the top 10 rookies from the 2023 season, but only one Rams player made the list: Nacua. He was ranked second by ESPN, only behind C.J. Stroud – the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Nacua broke a 63-year record for receiving yards by a rookie, as he finished the regular season with 1,486 yards on his 105 receptions. That’s quite the value for a fifth-round pick who had struggled with injuries at times during his college career.

Nacua makes contested catches, and his routes are crisp. He is already one of the league’s best at the position, breaking tackles once he has the ball — 43% of his receiving yards came after first contact, a remarkable number given his high volume of work.

Turner and Young were both left off ESPN’s poll, finishing in the “just missed” category alongside Texans wideout Tank Dell. De’Von Achane, who only played 11 games, finished in the final spot at No. 10, just barely ahead of Turner and Young. Bijan Robinson and Jordan Addison tied for eighth, so they were ahead of Turner and Young, too.

Even with just one rookie on ESPN’s top-10 list, the Rams had one of the best draft classes of any team last year, if not the very best. They have several building blocks for the 2024 season, and that’s without even mentioning Nick Hampton, Davis Allen and Tre Tomlinson, who could all have bigger roles next season.

Raiders 2023 Season Busters

While the Raiders may have ended the season with a good feeling overall, they ended it with a meaningless game. Being unable to reach .500 and knocked out of the playoffs before the end of the season obviously means a few things went wrong.

We covered the top performances in the Ballers. Now let’s get to the bad news with our Busters.

NFL playoffs: Byron Young by the numbers against Detroit

NFL playoffs: Former Vol Byron Young by the numbers against Detroit

Detroit defeated the Rams, 24-23, on Sunday in the NFL playoffs.

Former Vol Byron Young recorded three tackles and one tackle for a loss against the Lions.

Young recorded 61 tackles, eight sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during his rookie regular-season in 2023.

He played at Tennessee from 2021-22 under head coach Josh Heupel after transferring from Georgia Military College. The former Vol was an All-SEC standout in 2022.

Young finished his Tennessee career with 83 total tackles, 23.5 tackles for a loss, 12.5 sacks, one interception, two pass breakups and 22 quarterback hurries.

Young was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft (No. 77 overall).

PHOTOS: Byron Young through the years

Byron Young has ‘no doubt’ about who should win Defensive Rookie of the Year

In an exclusive interview with Rams Wire, Byron Young leaves no doubt about who should win Defensive Rookie of the Year

It’s been a special year for the Los Angeles Rams’ rookie class, led by Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Puka Nacua and Steve Avila. They’ve all been key contributors in Year 1, with Turner and Young being candidates to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Nacua in contention for the award on the offensive side of the ball.

Turner and Young have been the best rookie pass-rushing tandem in the NFL this season, recording nine and eight sacks, respectively. While both would be good choices for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Young has no doubt about who should win the award.

In an interview with Rams Wire on behalf of Dollar General, where he worked as an assistant manager before playing football at Tennessee, Young endorsed Turner by saying there’s “no doubt” he should win it over himself and every other candidate, including frontrunners, Jalen Carter and Will Anderson Jr.

Young also feels that he and Turner both got overlooked this year as third-round picks compared to first-rounders like Carter and Anderson.

“For sure. I think we’re definitely overlooked,” Young said. “Kobie Turner should definitely win Defensive Rookie of the Year. No doubt. But that’s how it goes sometimes, you know, popularity. That’s kind of how it is. Feel like we’re both being overlooked all season. Kobie Turner, hands down, should win it. The guy, every day coming into work. You see him during games. I’m talking about, he’s a closer. He closed the game out. That’s just what he does. Just watching him do it, I’m proud of him. Hopefully the right person gets the award: Kobie Turner. I’m praying they make the right decision.”

A lot of the attention has been on Turner in recent weeks, but Young has had an awesome rookie year himself. He has eight sacks, eight tackles for a loss, 19 QB hits and 61 total tackles – impressive numbers, particularly for a third-round rookie. He also won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Week for his performance against the Cardinals in Week 6 when he had a sack and forced fumble.

He may not win Defensive Rookie of the Year this season, but the Rams certainly landed a stud in Round 3 of the draft.

Byron Young by the numbers against 49ers

Byron Young by the numbers against the 49ers.

Los Angeles (10-7) defeated San Francisco (12-5), 21-20, Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California during Week 18.

Former Vol Byron Young recorded one tackle, one sack and one tackle for a loss for the Rams.

Young recorded 61 tackles, eight sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during his rookie regular-season in 2023.

He played at Tennessee from 2021-22 under head coach Josh Heupel after transferring from Georgia Military College. The former Vol was an All-SEC standout in 2022.

Young was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft (No. 77 overall).

The Rams and Young will play at Detroit in the NFL playoff wild card round on Sunday (8:15 p.m. EST, NBC).

How Rams rookies Kobie Turner and Byron Young are crushing enemy quarterbacks

The Rams’ underrated defense is led by two rookies — edge-rusher Byron Young, and interior force Kobie Turner. Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar explain.

For a franchise that has leaned toward an “F Them Picks” philosophy in recent years, the Los Angeles Rams are certainly doing a fine job getting their draft selections on the field at a ridiculous rate of value in the 2023 season. Fifth-round receiver Puka Nacua is on pace to shatter several rookie records, and second-round guard Steve Avila has allowed just two sacks and 31 total pressure this season. Outside of Nacua and Avila, the Rams’ two most impressive rookies have been edge-rusher Byron Young from Tennessee, and defensive lineman Kobie Turner from Wake Forest.

Only Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans and Tuli Tuipulotu of the Los Angeles Chargers have more total pressures among edge defenders than Young’s 46 (seven sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and 25 quarterback hurries), and no rookie interior defensive lineman has more pressures than Turner’s 45 (11 sacks, five quarterback hits, 29 quarterback hurries). Even Jalen Carter of the Philadelphia Eagles, thought by many to be this year’s “Annual Generational” defensive prospect, hasn’t disrupted quarterbacks at Turner’s rate.

Not bad for a couple of second-round under the radar guys.

“Didn’t know about the sack totals,” defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said on Thursday of his two first-year stars. “I just kind of go about the deal and they’ve really gotten better watching those guys go since they’ve been here. They came in young rookies. Kobie came in, super smart, super intelligent with an unbelievable motor. Byron just coming in really showing us stuff right off the bat with some explosiveness — being just a violent rusher, and he’s really developed some of his tools to get even better and now developing as a dropper as well, being at the outside backer position. They have been so much fun to work with and be around. I couldn’t be happier with the two young guys.”

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Young often gets his sacks and disruptions in space and with second effort. Against the New York Giants last week, Young was faced with a six-OL set, and guard Mark Glowinski motioning to his side. Young outlasted Glowinnki to the edge, and took quarterback Tyrod Taylor down.

In Turner’s case, the 6-foot-3, 290-pound powerhouse gets it done in the pit with great leverage, nasty hand technique, and some terrifying tackle/tackle stunts with that Aaron Donald guy, who’s still pretty good. Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco found himself on the wrong end of that concept for a safety in Week 13. These are not the gentlemen you want to see coming at you from either side, and this will continue when the Rams hit the postseason.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys detail what Young and Turner bring to the table, and how they’re leading the charge for an underrated Rams defense. You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/byBI1YwBYdwULzK8WvPD/1704387376688_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIGRhdGEtcGxpZD0ibWo0dWVzanJsZjN1ZXdsZW81a3V5NnNsaGJseG11Y2UiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMyNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Byron Young by the numbers against New Orleans

Former Vol Byron Young by the numbers against New Orleans.

Los Angeles (8-7) defeated New Orleans (7-8), 30-22, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California during Week 16.

Former Vol and rookie Byron Young started at outside linebacker for the Rams. He totaled one tackle against the Saints.

He has recorded 56 tackles and six sacks during his rookie season for Los Angeles.

Young played at Tennessee from 2021-22 under head coach Josh Heupel after transferring from Georgia Military College. The former Vol was an All-SEC standout in 2022.

Young was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft (No. 77 overall).

Los Angeles will next play on Dec. 31 against the Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kickoff between the Rams and Giants is slated for 1 p.m. EST.

Byron Young by the numbers against Washington

Former Vol Byron Young by the numbers against Washington.

Los Angeles (7-7) defeated Washington, 28-20, Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California during Week 15.

Former Vol Byron Young started at outside linebacker for the Rams, recording three tackles.

He has recorded 55 tackles and six sacks during his rookie season for Los Angeles.

Young played at Tennessee from 2021-22 under head coach Josh Heupel after transferring from Georgia Military College. The former Vol was an All-SEC standout in 2022.

Young was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft (No. 77 overall).

Los Angeles will next play on Thursday versus New Orleans. Kickoff is slated for 8:15 p.m. EST at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.