Byron Young Bio
Byron Young (born March 13, 1998) is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). A pass rusher who lines up on the edge, he has quickly developed into one of the Rams’ core defensive pieces since being selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Young played college football for the Georgia Military Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers before turning professional.
Early Life and Background
Byron Young was born on March 13, 1998, in Georgetown, South Carolina. He grew up in nearby Hemingway, a small town in the same coastal region of the state. Young attended Carvers Bay High School in Hemingway, where he played high school football but generated limited interest from college recruiters.
Coming out of high school, Young was barely recruited, a reality that forced him to take a job at Dollar General while he sorted out his next step. The experience shaped his work ethic and kept him focused on finding a route into college football. He eventually received an opportunity to walk on at Georgia Military College, a junior college program in Milledgeville, Georgia, where he began to put his physical tools and motor on display.
Path to American Football
Young spent the 2020 season at Georgia Military College, where he developed into a high-level defensive prospect. Following that single season, he was ranked as the No. 10 junior college prospect in the country, drawing scholarship offers from multiple Southeastern Conference programs. He ultimately committed to Tennessee over Ole Miss, choosing to continue his career in the SEC.
That decision paid off quickly. At Tennessee, Young moved into a starting role and, by the end of his second season with the Volunteers, had established himself as one of the conference’s top edge rushers. His junior college background gave him a non-traditional path to the NFL, but it also helped him build the strength and discipline that have carried into his professional career.
Byron Young Career
College Career (2020–2022)
Young began his college career at Georgia Military College in 2020, where he used the season to sharpen his technique and add size. After ranking among the top junior college prospects nationally, he transferred to the University of Tennessee ahead of the 2021 season.
In his first year with the Volunteers, Young served as a backup before earning a starting role late in the season. He started the final eight games, recording 46 total tackles and leading the team with 5.5 sacks. In 2022, he had his breakout game against LSU in Week 6, posting 2.5 sacks and earning SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors. He closed the season with a First-team All-SEC selection, cementing his status as an NFL prospect.
Los Angeles Rams Rookie Season (2023)
Byron Young was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round, 77th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Rams acquired that pick from the Miami Dolphins as part of the trade that sent cornerback Jalen Ramsey to Miami in exchange for tight end Hunter Long. Young arrived in Los Angeles as part of a defensive overhaul under head coach Sean McVay.
Heading into his first training camp, Young was named a starting outside linebacker, lining up opposite Michael Hoecht. He made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, recording his first career split-sack while playing 84 percent of the defensive snaps in a Rams victory. He added his first full sack the following week against the San Francisco 49ers and continued to produce pressure throughout the year. He posted his first multi-sack game in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers.
As a rookie, Young played all 17 games with 16 starts, logging 85 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. He led all rookie edge rushers with 8 sacks, 61 total tackles (42 solo), two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He finished the year with PFWA All-Rookie Team honors, an impressive debut for a player who entered the league with limited recruiting attention.
Los Angeles Rams Continued Development (2024–Present)
Byron Young entered his second NFL season with increased expectations, and he continued to grow as a focal point of the Rams’ pass rush. He built on his rookie production, showing more consistency against the run while still generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks. His combination of effort, length, and motor made him a player the defense could lean on in obvious passing situations.
By the 2025 season, Young had emerged as one of the league’s most productive young edge rushers. Through his career to that point, he had accumulated 205 total tackles, 27.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass deflection, and one safety. His development from a lightly recruited high school player into a Pro Bowl-caliber defender underscored how far he had come in a short span of time.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Young’s early NFL career came in his very first game, when he recorded a split-sack against the Seattle Seahawks in the Rams’ Week 1 win of 2023. His first multi-sack performance came in Week 9 of that rookie season against the Green Bay Packers, signaling his ability to take over a game. He later added a Pro Bowl selection in 2025, a milestone that confirmed his place among the league’s rising defensive stars.
Byron Young Career Wins
Byron Young’s career achievements have come primarily on the defensive side of the ball, where he has built a strong résumé across his first three NFL seasons. His statistical production, combined with postseason recognition, has positioned him as a foundational piece of the Los Angeles Rams’ defense.
NFL Highlights
Through the 2025 season, Young had tallied 27.5 career sacks, the hallmark number for an edge rusher. He added 205 total tackles, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass deflection, and one safety, showing that he impacts the game in multiple ways beyond simply chasing the quarterback. His 2023 rookie totals of 8 sacks led all rookie edge rushers that season, a strong baseline from which he continued to climb.
College and Awards
At the college level, Young’s 5.5 sacks in his first season at Tennessee and his 2.5-sack performance against LSU in 2022 stood out as signature performances. He earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for that LSU game and closed the year as a First-team All-SEC selection. He has also been recognized as a PFWA All-Rookie Team member in 2023 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2025.
Byron Young Family
Personal Life
Byron Young keeps most of his personal life private. He is known to have been born and raised in the Georgetown and Hemingway area of South Carolina, a region he has often credited for shaping his hard-working mentality. Before his college career took off, he worked at a Dollar General store, an experience he has pointed to as grounding him during the early stages of his football journey.
2025 Season Performance
Byron Young’s 2025 campaign represented his third NFL season and the point at which he fully arrived as a top-tier edge rusher. He played a central role in the Rams’ defensive game plans, generating consistent pressure while also holding up better against the run than he had in his first two seasons. His production helped anchor a young Rams front seven.
Across the 2025 season, Young continued to add to his career totals, finishing the year with a Pro Bowl selection, his first such honor. He finished the season with career numbers of 205 total tackles, 27.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass deflection, and one safety, all of which underscored his growth and durability.
Looking ahead, Young remains a long-term building block for the Los Angeles Rams, with his combination of youth, production, and motor pointing toward continued development. As the Rams continue to shape their defense around his pass-rushing ability, his role is likely to keep expanding in the seasons to come.
