The Cleveland Browns have sprung a massive leap along the interior of their defensive line. They currently rank 27th in the NFL in DVOA according to Football Outsiders against the run, and their talent is even more barren than their numbers. With a top pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft at this point, the Browns must have heavy eyes on Alabama defensive tackle Byron Young.
After the loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, it is time for the Browns to start selling off expiring contracts and to start stocking up on draft picks. The current defensive tackle room includes Taven Bryan, Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai, and Perrion Winfrey. There is a real chance there are two or three new faces in that room in 2022.
Young would be an excellent addition to this room. We take an in-depth look at the Alabama Crimson Tide standout here in this 2023 NFL Draft film room.
An analytical look at Byron Young
Thus far through his senior season with the Crimson Tide, Young has racked up just half of a sack and two tackles for loss through eight games, but the analytical metrics tell a different story.
According to PFF, Young is having his second straight season with a defensive grade of over 83. In 2022, Young is grading out with an extraordinary 85.3 mark, tallying a mark of 73.9 as a pass rusher as well.
He is tied for the 27th most pressures in the country with 16 despite playing nearly 100 fewer reps than the man at the top of the list. On the season he has missed just two tackles in eight games, racking up 14 stops as a run defender as well.
So while Young does not quite look like a world-beater in the box score, he is one of the best defensive tackles in the nation along the Crimson Tide interior. And not a worry for those who track Cleveland’s age guardrails closely, as Young will not turn 23 until November of his rookie season.
The 2023 NFL Draft hopeful shines as a run defender
The combination of physical play strength and explosiveness of Young makes him a stout run defender along the Alabama defensive line. Possessing over 33-inch arms, Young can create leverage points against the man across from him. With a low pad level, Young demonstrates the ability to lock out the blocker across from him and stack-peek-shed at a high level.
This allows Young to play two gaps along the interior as he maintains control of the lineman trying to displace him out of a gap. Young also possesses a hot motor and a good deal of flexibility. Flying laterally down the line of scrimmage, Young tracks ball carriers in pursuit like a linebacker might despite being 60 pounds heavier.
The lowest man wins, and Young wins with his pad level and leverage more often than not.
Young flashes exceptional use of hands
It is rare to see a college player with the nuance and refinement that Young displays along the Alabama defensive line. He shows a strong ability to anticipate the hands of the man across from them and counter with a move of his own.
From a forklift to a long-arm, to a chop/rip, and even a spin move off of the line of scrimmage, the pass rush repertoire of Young is deep and nuanced. He shows the ability to plan pre-snap, but his hands do not stop working until he hears a whistle.
While Young struggles to replace hands off of his chest once a blocker has him latched, it is a true treat to watch his hands continue to attack the hands and the chest of the man across from him. This refinement alone raises the floor of Young as he gets ready to transition from college to the NFL level.
The Browns need an explosive, physical player
A phrase that is often regurgitated in the NFL Draft content creation world is “bet on traits,” and Young has a plethora of traits to bet on. He might be a bit undersized for an interior player at under 6-foot-3 and 292 pounds, but he possesses a great deal of explosiveness in his lower half, with the pop in his upper half to match it.
If Young gets into the chest of the man across from him with leverage, there is no stopping him from pushing that blocker back into the ball carrier. He has a tremendous ability to provide movement off of the line of scrimmage, and much of that has to do with the power he can generate from his legs. Young has the motor to fire off the ball, engage the man across from him, then convert that speed from his first step into a massive amount of power.
Along with the refinement of his hands, the heaviness with which he wields them is also impressive. When Young lands his initial punch, the sledge hammers he wields can send shockwaves through the man he connects with.
Power and explosiveness are excellent foundations to start with when building your defensive tackle, and Young has plenty of both.
Final thoughts on Byron Young
Young is not going to blow away the box score scouts who are just looking at his numbers, but his tape tells a much different story. He has length, athleticism, and a hot motor to play whistle-to-whistle.
The Browns will only have three defensive tackles under contract entering the 2023 offseason, and there is even wiggle room on two of their existing roster spots should general manager Andrew Berry find an upgrade elsewhere. Overhaul needs to happen along the defensive interior in Cleveland, and adding a 22-year-old with the talent of Young would be a welcome addition.
With heavy and refined hands, a great deal of explosiveness and power, and the tendency to be a top-shelf run defender, Byron Young has all of the makings of a top-50 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Currently holding the 36th overall pick at this point in the season and in desperate need of help up front, the Browns should be all over Jones this upcoming Spring.
