Dareke Young Bio
Dareke Young is an American professional football wide receiver and kickoff returner who most recently played for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). Born on June 4, 1999, in Raleigh, North Carolina, he currently plays for the Las Vegas Raiders, having signed with the team in March 2026. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and listed at 224 pounds, Young is known for his special teams work, dependable hands, and steady development as a depth option at receiver. He is also a Super Bowl champion after Seattle’s victory in Super Bowl LX.
Selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft, Young carved out a role as a reliable contributor on coverage and return units. His path from a small college program at Lenoir–Rhyne to a championship roster reflects patience, perseverance, and consistent improvement in technique. Young continues to build his professional résumé with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he looks to expand his offensive snaps.
Early Life and Background
Dareke Young was born on June 4, 1999, in Raleigh, North Carolina, and grew up in the surrounding region of the Tar Heel State. He attended Middle Creek High School in Apex, North Carolina, from 2014 to 2017, where he developed as a multi-sport athlete with a clear focus on football. At Middle Creek, he was a respected student-athlete, earning Academic All-Conference honors for his performance in the classroom.
On the field, Young finished his high school career as a productive receiver and reliable two-way player. He recorded 29 catches for 502 yards and 5 touchdowns during his prep career, while experiencing only three losses across his time as a varsity contributor. Those numbers, modest by powerhouse-program standards, hinted at his potential and helped him attract college attention despite flying under the radar of major recruiters.
Growing up in the Research Triangle area, Young balanced athletics with academics, and his family environment supported his development as a student-athlete. He graduated from Middle Creek ready to take the next step in his football journey, choosing a program where he could grow physically and refine his route-running.
Path to American Football
Young committed to Lenoir–Rhyne University, a Division II program in North Carolina, where he played college football for the Bears from 2017 to 2021. The decision allowed him to earn meaningful snaps early and develop his body and skill set against consistent competition. His progression at Lenoir–Rhyne turned him into one of the more intriguing small-school prospects in his draft class.
Throughout his college career, Young showcased the traits scouts look for in a special teams ace: reliable hands, strong tackling form, and the willingness to do the dirty work in coverage. His size and physicality made him an obvious candidate to contribute immediately on kickoff and punt teams at the next level. By the time he declared for the 2022 NFL draft, he had earned an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine and climbed draft boards with strong testing numbers.
The Seattle Seahawks selected Young in the seventh round, 233rd overall, of the 2022 NFL draft, validating his long road from a high school outside Raleigh to a professional locker room. That selection was the start of his NFL career and a reward for years of quiet development at a small-college program.
Dareke Young Career
Early Career (2022)
As a rookie in 2022, Young joined a Seattle Seahawks roster that was in the middle of a rebuild and looking for special teams contributors. He appeared in 13 games during his first season, working primarily on kickoff coverage and punt units while learning the speed and complexity of the professional game. On offense, he finished the year with two receptions for 24 yards, modest production that reflected his developmental role.
His reliability on special teams quickly earned him a reputation inside the building as a player coaches could trust in high-leverage situations. Young’s tackling, hustle, and discipline stood out on film, and his ability to stay healthy and available helped him cement a spot on the active roster throughout his rookie year.
Seattle Seahawks Breakthrough (2022–2025)
Young remained with the Seahawks through the 2023 season, but his year was interrupted by an injury. On September 4, 2023, he was placed on injured reserve, and he was activated on November 11, 2023. He appeared in six games that season, again working mainly on special teams while flashing occasional offensive potential in three-receiver sets.
In 2024, Young continued in a similar role, serving as a depth wide receiver and core special teams player. He did not log major offensive statistics, but his consistency on coverage units kept him in the team’s weekly plans. By 2025, he had earned the trust of his coaching staff as one of Seattle’s auxiliary wide receivers and a regular on multiple special teams phases.
His 2025 season included another injury setback. Young was placed on injured reserve with a quad injury on November 8, 2025, and was activated on December 18 ahead of the team’s Week 16 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. In the NFC Championship Game against the Rams, he recovered a crucial muffed punt by Xavier Smith, a play that helped Seattle secure a 31–27 victory and advance to the Super Bowl. Young then won Super Bowl LX with the Seahawks, a 29–13 defeat of the New England Patriots, recording a tackle in the championship game.
Las Vegas Raiders Era (2026–Present)
On March 13, 2026, Young signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, beginning a new chapter in his professional career. The move gave him an opportunity to compete for a more prominent offensive role while continuing his special teams work in a different scheme. Coming off a Super Bowl win, he brought championship experience and a reputation for steady, mistake-free play to Las Vegas.
Young’s fit in the Raiders’ wide receiver room and special teams plans appeared strong from the outset, given his size, blocking, and experience in return units. His track record of availability and willingness to do unglamorous work aligned with what Las Vegas sought as it continued to reshape its roster.
Driving Style and Strengths
Young is best known for his physicality, dependable hands, and discipline in coverage. He tackles aggressively in space, reads blocks well on return units, and has steadily refined his route-running as an outside receiver. Coaches have consistently praised his preparation and his willingness to embrace the unglamorous roles that win games on Sundays.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Young’s career came in the 2025 NFC Championship Game, when his recovery of a muffed punt helped Seattle eliminate the Rams. A few weeks later, he became a Super Bowl champion when the Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13 in Super Bowl LX. Being drafted in the seventh round in 2022 and later hoisting a Lombardi Trophy stands as a milestone story of perseverance in the modern NFL.
Dareke Young Career Wins
Across his first three professional seasons, Dareke Young has been valued more for his special teams impact and depth receiving contributions than for headline offensive production. His career NFL statistics through the 2025 season include 4 receptions for 72 receiving yards and 322 return yards, numbers that reflect his role as a complementary piece on a championship roster. Wins, in his case, have come in the form of a Super Bowl title and a series of high-leverage special teams performances that helped Seattle reach the mountaintop.
NFL Highlights
Young’s most celebrated NFL highlight is his recovery of a muffed punt by Xavier Smith in the 2025 NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. That play directly contributed to Seattle’s 31–27 victory and a berth in Super Bowl LX, where Young added a tackle in the Seahawks’ 29–13 win over the New England Patriots. Earlier, as a rookie in 2022, he played 13 games and recorded his first two NFL receptions for 24 yards, providing an early glimpse of his offensive potential.
Other Wins & Performances
At Lenoir–Rhyne, Young was a multi-year contributor for the Bears, and his play there is what ultimately put him on NFL radars. His high school career at Middle Creek, where he posted 29 catches, 502 yards, and 5 touchdowns with only three losses, laid the groundwork for his later success. Those developmental years produced a player who could translate lower-level production into NFL opportunities.
Dareke Young Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available information about Dareke Young’s family is limited, and he has kept details about his parents and extended relatives out of the spotlight. There is no widely reported racing lineage or family tradition of professional athletics in publicly accessible sources, and Young has not publicly highlighted a family connection to football royalty. His story is primarily one of personal development, hard work, and a tight support network that helped him reach the NFL.
Personal Life
Young has not publicly disclosed a spouse or children, and no verified personal-life details beyond his birthplace and residence are widely reported. He remains focused on his professional career, with the Las Vegas Raiders representing his next opportunity to grow as a player. Off the field, he has been described as a quiet, team-oriented presence who lets his work ethic speak for itself.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a rollercoaster for Dareke Young, marked by injury, perseverance, and ultimately a championship. He began the year as one of Seattle’s auxiliary wide receivers and a core special teams player, but a quad injury landed him on injured reserve on November 8, 2025. His activation on December 18, ahead of a Week 16 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, allowed him to rejoin the roster at a critical stretch of the season.
Young’s most significant impact came in the NFC Championship Game against the Rams, where he recovered a muffed punt by Xavier Smith to help Seattle clinch a 31–27 victory and a trip to the Super Bowl. He then finished the season on the highest note possible, winning Super Bowl LX with the Seahawks in a 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots and recording a tackle in the game.
Through the 2025 season, Young’s offensive numbers remained modest, with his primary value coming on special teams and as a depth receiver. His career totals include 4 receptions for 72 receiving yards and 322 return yards, statistics that reflect a player whose impact often shows up in the team results column rather than the box score. The championship ring was the headline outcome of a season that tested his resilience and rewarded his patience.
