The NFL Scouting Combine has officially begun in Indianapolis, Indiana, where seven former Vols have the opportunity to showcase their skills and talents for NFL scouts ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Among the seven VFLs in Indianapolis this week is edge rusher Byron Young. The Georgetown, South Carolina, native had back-to-back highly productive seasons to end in his collegiate career on Rocky Top, and Young figures to be a Day Two pick in the NFL Draft.
Young began his combine activities on Thursday, including the 40-yard dash. Young displayed impressive speed when running his 40, recording an unofficial 4.48 40-yard dash.
Byron Young can FLY! 4.48🔥@Vol_Football
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 2, 2023
Young’s time was later lowered once the official time came in, and the VFL officially ran a 4.43 40-yard dash. An outstanding time.
The NFL’s Twitter account originally tweeted Young’s first .40 time, which also turned some heads. Young recorded a 4.51 .40 time before besting it the second time around.
These edge rushers are flying.@Vol_Football's Byron Young with a speedy 4.51u.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/9Ty9agdnZz— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2023
A 4.43 40-yard dash time is quite impressive coming from an edge rusher. For instance, Young’s time is faster than reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa’s and 2022 NFL Draft No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson’s.
More than that, Young’s time cracks the top five of any defensive lineman in the past 20 years.
.@GeorgiaFootball's Nolan Smith ran an official 4.39 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine…
That is the 2nd-fastest by a defensive lineman since 2003.
3 of the 4 fastest DL 40-yd times have been run in the last 2 Combines. pic.twitter.com/HDggKh50ip
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) March 2, 2023
In addition to the 40-yard dash, Young recorded notable numbers in the broad jump and the vertical. Young logged an 11-foot broad jump and a 38-inch vertical, per Patrick Brown of GoVols 247.
#Vols DE Byron Young at Combine:
11-foot broad jump
38-inch vertical— Patrick Brown (@pbrown247) March 2, 2023
Byron Young had an ELITE combine showing🔥@Vol_Football pic.twitter.com/RDb67D7aHs
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 2, 2023
Young capped his collegiate career with a solid senior campaign at Tennessee. The Georgia Military College transfer totaled 37 tackles, 12 TFLs, a team-high seven sacks and 14 QB hurries. Young earned All-SEC First Team honors from the coaches for his 2022 effort and All-SEC Second Team honors from the Associated Press.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder has had a busy offseason in addition to the Scouting Combine, as the Carvers Bay high school product participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl last month.
Young will find his pro football home during the 2023 NFL Draft this April. The draft will take place in Kansas City from April 27 through April 29.
