Chase Young Bio
Chase Young, born on April 14, 1999, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is an American professional football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 264 pounds, he has built a reputation as one of the most disruptive pass rushers of his generation. After starring as a unanimous All-American at Ohio State, he entered the league as the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and quickly earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Early Life and Background
Chase Young was raised in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and discovered football at an early age. He attended St. Columba School in Oxon Hill, Maryland, before enrolling at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel, Maryland, in 2013. During his freshman year, he played quarterback, tight end, and outside linebacker before settling in as a defensive end. He helped Pallotti win the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association C-conference championship in 2014, and he was also a member of the school choir, playing the piano, saxophone, and violin.
In 2015, Young transferred to DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, where his production exploded. He posted 19 quarterback sacks and 27 tackles for loss as a junior, leading DeMatha to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championship. As a senior, he added 19 sacks, 118 tackles, five forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns while guiding the team to an undefeated season and another WCAC title. He was named to the 2016 USA Today All-USA team, was selected as The Washington Post’s all-metropolitan defensive player of the year, and played in both the International Bowl and the All-American Bowl. He also played basketball at DeMatha alongside future NBA number-one pick Markelle Fultz, and the two set a goal of becoming first overall selections in their respective sports.
Path to American Football
Coming out of high school as one of the most coveted defensive prospects in the country, Chase Young received scholarship offers from more than 40 universities. He committed to Ohio State in July 2016, choosing the Buckeyes over powers such as Alabama and Maryland, drawn by the program’s family-oriented culture and the opportunity to work with defensive line coach Larry Johnson. He was named MVP of his position at The Opening, Nike’s elite summer recruiting camp, in July 2016, and he was widely viewed as a future professional cornerstone.
Chase Young Career
Early Career (2017-2018)
As a freshman at Ohio State in 2017, Chase Young appeared in a reserve role and recorded 3.5 sacks, 18 tackles, and a forced fumble. He became a full-time starter as a sophomore in 2018, finishing the year with 10.5 sacks despite spraining both ankles during the season. Three of his sacks came in the 2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game against Northwestern, and he was recognized as a second-team All-Big Ten selection for his work.
Ohio State Breakthrough (2019)
Chase Young’s junior season in 2019 cemented his status as the premier defensive player in college football. Named a team captain, he tied Ohio State school records with four sacks and five tackles for loss in a single game against Wisconsin. In November 2019, he was suspended for two games by the NCAA over an unauthorized loan tied to a family friend, but he returned to record three sacks against Penn State in his first game back. He finished the year with 16.5 sacks, 46 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, three pass deflections, and a blocked field goal, leading the NCAA in sacks and breaking the Buckeyes’ single-season record of 14 set by Vernon Gholston in 2007.
Young was unanimously named to the 2019 College Football All-America Team and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and the Ted Hendricks Award. He also earned the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year, and the Big Ten Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year, becoming the first football player to win the Jesse Owens honor since Ron Dayne in 2000. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting behind quarterbacks Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Justin Fields, making him only the ninth defensive player nominated for the award since 1982. He ended his Ohio State career with 30.5 sacks in three seasons, second in school history behind Mike Vrabel, and was later named a unanimous selection to the Big Ten Network’s 2010s All-Decade Team.
Washington Commanders Era (2020-2023)
Chase Young declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, where he was widely considered the best overall prospect. He attended the NFL Combine but chose not to participate in workouts, explaining that he did not want to be evaluated as a “combine athlete.” Selected second overall by the Washington Football Team, he signed a four-year rookie contract worth $34.56 million on July 23, 2020, becoming the fourth consecutive first-round defensive lineman picked by Washington, following Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Montez Sweat.
Young opened his rookie season with 1.5 sacks, four tackles, and a forced fumble against the Philadelphia Eagles. In a Week 14 game against the San Francisco 49ers, he recorded a sack, two passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery returned 47 yards for a touchdown, becoming the first rookie in NFL history and only the third player since 1999 to accomplish all of that in a single game. He finished the year with 7.5 sacks, leading all rookies, along with four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. In December 2020, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month, the first Washington rookie to earn that honor, and he was voted a team captain. He was named Associated Press and PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year, was the only rookie on the PFWA all-conference team, and was selected to the 2021 Pro Bowl alongside Justin Jefferson.
His second season was cut short. In 2021, he recorded 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and patellar tendon in his right knee during a Week 10 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Surgery included grafting part of the patellar tendon from his other knee, extending his recovery timeline. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of 2022 training camp and returned to the active roster in late November, appearing in only a handful of games. Washington declined his fifth-year option before the 2023 season.
San Francisco 49ers Era (2023)
On November 1, 2023, the Washington Commanders traded Chase Young to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick. He recorded 2.5 sacks down the stretch to finish the season with 7.5 total. In Super Bowl LVIII, he registered one sack in San Francisco’s 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
New Orleans Saints Era (2024-Present)
On March 18, 2024, Chase Young signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. He underwent neck surgery the next day and was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list in July. He played in all 17 regular-season games, recording 31 total tackles and 5.5 sacks, including a season-high 2.0 sacks in a Week 15 loss to his former Washington team. On March 10, 2025, New Orleans re-signed him to a three-year contract worth $51 million.
Driving Style and Strengths
Chase Young combines explosive first-step quickness with length, leverage, and hand technique developed under longtime Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson. He is equally effective as a power rusher who can bull opponents backward and as a speed rusher who can turn the corner against offensive tackles, and his experience in odd and even fronts gives him the versatility to play in multiple defensive schemes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chase Young’s most memorable rookie moment came in Week 14 of the 2020 season, when he became the first rookie in NFL history to record a sack, two passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery touchdown in the same game. He also added a Super Bowl sack in Super Bowl LVIII and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December 2025.
Chase Young Career Wins
Chase Young’s trophy case begins with a national championship-level college résumé and a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign in the NFL. He was a unanimous All-American in 2019, a 2020 Pro Bowl selection, and a multi-time All-Big Ten honoree, and he has continued adding to his ledger with the New Orleans Saints.
Ohio State Highlights
At Ohio State, Chase Young was a second-team All-Big Ten pick in 2018 and a first-team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and Big Ten Most Valuable Player in 2019, when he also won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and the Ted Hendricks Award as college football’s top defender. He set the school’s single-season sack record with 16.5 and ranks second in program history with 30.5 career sacks.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Big Ten, Chase Young was voted the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year in 2020, a recognition spanning all conference sports. He was also the only unanimous selection on the Big Ten Network’s 2010s All-Decade Team.
Chase Young Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Chase Young’s father, Greg, played college basketball at Bowie State University and worked as a deputy sheriff with the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office. His mother, Carla, works for the Office of Investigations within the United States Department of Transportation. He has a sister, Weslie, who played college basketball at North Carolina Wesleyan.
Personal Life
Chase Young majored in criminology at Ohio State, inspired by his father and several uncles and cousins who have worked in law enforcement. He is nicknamed “the Predator” by Ohio State fans for both his on-field ferocity and his dreadlocks, which resemble the iconic creature from the Predator film franchise. Represented by Klutch Sports Group, he serves as football ambassador for Klutch Athletics, the New Balance-affiliated sportswear brand launched in 2023, and he has appeared in advertisements for Chipotle, Under Armour, and eBay, as well as on The Shop and Celebrity Family Feud. He also performed guest vocals on “Fire & Ice,” a track from Wale’s 2021 album Folarin II, and was the honorary pace car driver for the 2022 Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond.
2025 Season Performance
Chase Young opened 2025 sidelined by a calf injury sustained in practice ahead of Week 1, keeping him out of the first three games. Once healthy, he quickly returned to form and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December. Across the 2025 season, he recorded 10 sacks, 38 total tackles (22 solo), four passes defended, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries, reinforcing his value as a foundational piece of the Saints’ defense under his new three-year contract.
Operating in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme, Young served as a primary edge rusher opposite complementary pass rushers, often drawing double-teams that freed teammates to produce. His combination of leadership, durability after multiple prior injuries, and consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks positioned him as a central figure in New Orleans’ defensive identity.
Entering the second half of his three-year extension, Chase Young’s outlook is anchored in continued health and productivity. The Saints built their defensive front around his ability to collapse the pocket, and his December award suggested he remains capable of dominant stretches. With the team’s long-term investment in place, expectations are that he will continue to anchor New Orleans’ pass rush.
