Byron Young has put up some impressive numbers in his first nine games in the NFL. He’s second on the team with five sacks, has forced two fumbles, recorded two tackles for a loss and 14 quarterback hits. His 31 total pressures are the most of any rookie in the NFL this season, which is an example of how well he’s played as a third-round pick.
One chart shows that his numbers might be a little bit skewed, however. According to Seth Walder of ESPN, Young has the lowest double-team rate of all starting edge rushers this season, as well as the seventh-lowest pass-rush win rate.
Michael Hoecht isn’t far behind him, also ranking among edge rushers with the lowest double-team rate and the sixth-lowest pass-rush win rate. So while they’ve combined for 8.5 sacks, they aren’t winning their one-on-one matchups much at all.
Double team rate at edge (x) by pass rush win rate at edge (y), updated chart!
It's literally Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett…and then everyone else.
(ESPN / NFL Next Gen Stats) pic.twitter.com/xGFRnXrWvD
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) November 10, 2023
ESPN defines a pass-rush win as a player beating his block within 2.5 seconds. This indicates Young and Hoecht are rarely getting to the quarterback quickly, which can’t be said about Aaron Donald.
Donald is being doubled about 60% of the time and he still has the third-best win rate of any defensive tackle in the league.
Double team rate at defensive tackle (x) by pass rush win rate at defensive tackle (y), updated chart!
Three big names at the top.
(ESPN Analytics / NFL Next Gen Stats) pic.twitter.com/x0eKrxLeNa
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) November 10, 2023
Donald has spoken a number of times about how the Rams’ edge rushers need to win their one-on-one opportunities when teams slide protection his way, and it’s easy to see why he continues to say that. As teams always have, they’re constantly doubling Donald on the interior and leaving their tackles on an island with the Rams’ edge rushers.
Until Young and Hoecht prove they can regularly win those matchups, teams will keep doubling Donald inside.
