Chase Young NFL draft profile

Ohio State’s Chase Young will be a top five pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and might be the best overall prospect available. The star edge rusher led the country with 16.5 sacks in 2019. He also led the nation in forced fumbles (6). The only reason he probably won’t be the first overall pick is because the quarterback position is the much more important for a team like the Cincinnati Bengals.

Young’s physical traits are second to none. He’s 6’5”, weighs 264 pounds, and possesses a ridiculous amount of speed and strength. He’s a consistent tackler and is strategic about his pursuit of the quarterback as a pass rusher. Of all the prospects in the draft, Young has the best chance to be a star right away.

Scouting Report

Young has great size and strength, but his hand usage is something that sets him apart from other pass rushers. His creativity and skillfulness allows him to combat offensive linemen effectively and achieve the goal at hand. But that doesn’t mean he can’t improve in some areas. Some scouts question whether his repertoire of moves is vast enough to prevent him from becoming predictable. He was also not much of a factor against Clemson in last year’s college football playoffs. Can he thrive when he frequently attracts double teams and has to rely on more technique?

He plays a little upright at the point of attack, and his ball awareness is below average, but those concerns aren’t enough to counterbalance his range and agility as a run defender. Young possesses superior traits and the ability to wreck and alter offensive game-plans as a perennial All-Pro. — NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein

His first-step quickness is legendary, and his ability to counter his quickness with power, hand usage and refined pass-rushing moves makes him a very highly graded and sought after prospect. — Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller

Young can do a better job with his pad level in some reps. There are instances where he pops straight up out of his stance. Other times he’s upright by step three of his rush. If he’s dropping in coverage, it’s easy to pick up based on his stance; weight is all almost all back on his feet and stance can be frog-like — The Draft Network’s Joe Marino

Mock Draft Results

Mel Kiper, ESPN: Washington
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: Washington
Eric Edholm, Yahoo Sports: Detroit Lions
Doug Farrar, Touchdown Wire: Washington

Rookie year impact

Young is a rare talent that can be a difference-maker from the start, regardless of where he lands. He has a good chance to be the most dominant defensive lineman on his team as a rookie and can have the kind of impact Nick Bosa had — he was a Pro Bowl player and Defensive Rookie of the Year with the San Francisco 49ers. Young can completely transform a defense and should help his team improve significantly rushing the passer and stopping the run. Bosa helped San Francisco go from being a bottom five defense to a top 10 one. Young could do something similar with the right personnel around him.

Career impact

Young is projected to be a perennial All-Pro. His floor is him becoming a Pro Bowl player, but he has the potential to win defensive player of the year. Young has the kind of tool box that could help him string together years of eye-popping stats. Players of his caliber don’t come around often. Young should make the most of what he has at his disposal.