After amazing rookie seasons, this Rams trio prepares for a sophomore surge

III: OLB Byron Young

When the team selected Tennessee outside linebacker Byron Young, few saw the NFL production and motivation that the team's front office and scouts witnessed. Instead, mayn view the 6-foot-2 258-pound outside linebacker rookie prospect in much the same way as Jedi Knight Yoda viewed padawan prospect Luke Skywalker Specifically: Wild, reckless, and too old to begin the training. You see, Byron Young is already 26 years old.

Despite being surrounded by naysayers and critics, this young man did not surrender his dream of playing football. He could not. His love of the game burned deeply within him. It was part of who he was. Per his NFL draft profile, one draft scout described him as:

"He really appreciates every second he is on the field and our coaches would love that. He probably ends up standing, but I think he will be better with a hand in the ground."

AFC team scout

So as the Rams sought passionate players, Young proved to bury the needle on that trait. But there were more attributes about him that made him ideally suited for the team. Not only did he mount incredible on-field production, but he was one of the best pure athletes at the position in the 2023 NFL Draft. So how did he fall to the Rams in Round 3 with an early Day 2 grade?

Two things discouraged teams: He was 25 years old, and he was a bit raw and unpolished. NFL teams want to draft plug-and play prospects early in the draft. In the case of outside linebacker, there was clearly some assembly required. That was exactly what the team was looking for: