Byron Young Complete NFL Draft Profile (Run-Stopping DT Could Turn Into More With Right Coaching Staff)

Alabama defensive tackle Byron Young is eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft following his standout college career. A reliable run-stopper for a National Championship team, Young is a great presence on the defensive line and could hear his name called as early as the second round at the end of April.

Here's everything you need to know about Byron Young heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

Byron Young Draft Stock & Mock Draft Projections

Mock draft sources accurate as of 4/19: Walter Football, Sporting News, CBS Sports, Pro Football Network, ESPN.

Projected Draft Round: Round 2 (1), Round 3 (2), Round 4 (1), Round 5 (1)
Projected Team: Commanders (1), Browns (1), Eagles (1), Colts (1), Bills (1)

Byron Young Scouting Report

Young committed to Alabama as a top-100 national prospect and wasted no time making an impact along head coach Nick Saban's defensive line. He logged 23 total tackles (1.5 for loss) and 1.0 sack as a true freshman before tallying 26 total tackles (5.5 for loss) and 0.5 sacks in his sophomore year.

The Mississippi native took things to another level in his final two college seasons. Young racked up 33 total tackles (7.5 for loss) and 2.0 sacks as a junior and finished his career with 48 total tackles (5.5 for loss) and 4.0 sacks as a senior. His 25 total pressures in 2022 were by far a career-best mark.

Highlighted strengths of Youngs' game reside in his ability to stop the run. He has a thick lower half that allows him to hold his ground at the defensive tackle spot and reliably maintain gap control as a result. Young has also been praised for his improvement when it comes to splitting double teams.

Young is far from a perfect prospect, though, as his limited lateral movement makes him a liability when a running back bounces to the outside. His reaction speed needs to be refined when plays quickly change direction as well. Nevertheless, Young has the talent to be molded into an NFL starter.

Byron Young NFL Draft Prediction

Young is a standout in rush defense and a lackluster option in pass defense, which makes his landing spot crucial for his development at the NFL level. The right coaching staff should be able to integrate Young on rushing downs with the hope that his pass-rushing abilities will get better with experience.

That makes the Eagles a viable option. General manager Howie Roseman has always built his roster from the trenches up and could add Young to provide a spark on an otherwise veteran defensive line. After all, the Eagles ranked 21st in rush defense DVOA rating during their NFC Championship season.

As for when Young will hear his name called, mock drafts suggest it could be anywhere from the second to the fifth round. Philadelphia has shown in the past that it is not afraid to reach for a player it covets. That should remain the case for a team with a currently wide-open Super Bowl window.

Prediction: Philadelphia Eagles (Round 2, 62 overall)

Check out more NFL Draft content from The Duel:

Byron Young NFL Combine Results

Byron Young Alabama Stats

Byron Young Alabama Highlights

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.