Byron Young's shocking breakout season suddenly has fans believing again

As the 10-3 Los Angeles Rams enter their final four games of the 2025 NFL season, the opportunity to take stock of this year's heroes is apparent. We all know basic stats by heart, but that oftentimes merely confirms what we think we know. But occasionally, a statistic appears that tells a different tale, or perhaps sheds some light in a dark corner.

Such is the case with NFL Researcher's latest deep dive into Next Gen Stats, revealing that LA boasts the two top players whose quarterback pressures led to turnovers. They are Byron Young and Jared Verse.

Los Angeles has been blessed with better-than-expected results from their 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts. But outside linebacker Byron Young may be the best of the bunch. After all, the team needed a productive edge rusher after parting ways with nearly all veterans at the position.

Young has racked up 26.5 sacks in only three NFL seasons and 11.0 sacks in 13 games this year. He promised fans to show up better than ever in 2025, and he has delivered. He has reversed a four-game drought by recording a sack in each of the last two games. But he is more than a pass rusher. He has already set a career high in tackles, quarterback hits, quarterback pressures, and missed-tackle rate.

Former Dollar General manager just gave fans another reason to love him

Los Angeles stars are more than football players. They are community leaders, a calling to pay-it-forward that defines their presence in the community as a true leader. Once a manager at Dollar General, he has agreed to partner with his former employer to help local children with school supplies.

But it's not his generosity that signifies his profound leadership qualities. It's something much deeper. It's the fact that he was a manager in retail, essentially one of us. Now, thanks to general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, he is living his dream of becoming a professional football player.

He was the Plan B option after failing to trade for Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns. But he has blown away all expectations. Just check out how well he stacks up to other pass rushers selected in 2023:

2023 * - 3rd overall - Will Anderson Jr. - 125 tackles - 28.5 QB sacks
2023 * - 7th overall - Tyree Wilson - 79 tackles - 10.0 QB sacks
2023 * - 15th overall - Will McDonald IV - 67 tackles - 200.5 QB sacks
2023 * - 77th overall - Byron Young - 188 tackles - 26.5 QB sacks

Fans can make a strong argument that Byron Young was the cream of the crop in the 2023 NFL Draft. At the time, his draft profile was ranked 13th overall. He has clearly performed far better than many of his contemporaries.

Keep on doing what you do, Byron Young. Fans get it and love what you are doing. But most of all, thanks for proving that players who start their NFL careers from modest beginnings can prove to be elite.

And as always, thanks for reading.