A former Dollar General assistant manager who walked on at junior college, Byron Young broke out with 12.0 sacks in 2025 to earn his first Pro Bowl selection.
Byron Young's football journey started far from a Power Four campus. After a year and a half away from the game working retail, he rebuilt his career at a junior college before landing at Tennessee, and now he's one of the Rams' top edge rushers. His 2025 breakout season, capped by a Pro Bowl nod, is the payoff for that long road.
Path to the league
After high school, Young spent time working at Dollar General before walking on at Georgia Military College, where he became a top junior college prospect. He transferred to Tennessee, earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2022 with seven sacks and 37 tackles, and was selected by the Rams in the third round (77th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft, a pick Los Angeles acquired in the Jalen Ramsey trade with Miami.
Career highlights
Young started immediately as a rookie in 2023, posting 61 tackles and 8.0 sacks en route to a PFWA All-Rookie Team selection. He followed with 62 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2024, establishing himself as a full-time starter at outside linebacker for the Rams' defense.
2025 season recap
Young broke out in 2025, starting all 17 games and posting career highs of 82 tackles and 12.0 sacks, earning his first career Pro Bowl selection. His three-year totals now stand at 205 tackles and 27.5 sacks.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Byron Young (linebacker)
- Pro Football Reference: Byron Young
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
17 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | rams | 17 | 82 | 45 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | rams | 17 | 62 | 34 | 7.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | rams | 17 | 61 | 42 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Tennessee
- Hometown
- Georgetown, SC, USA
- Age
- 28
- Status
- active
Latest news about Byron Young
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The trade upset him at first. Then former Rams teammates talked him through it and the Browns made clear they wanted him specifically. Now the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year is set on being himself.
