NFL CAREER – Originally selected by Washington with the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, this talented edge rusher is entering his seventh season in the league and third with New Orleans. In six campaigns for the Washington Commanders (2020-23), San Francisco 49ers (2023) and Saints (2024-25), Young's appeared in 72 regular season games with 44 starts, recording 169 tackles (110 solo), 32.0 sacks, 39 stops for loss, 16 pass breakups, nine forced fumbles and six recoveries. In four postseason games, Young has started each contest and recorded 11 tackles (seven solo) with one sack. Despite playing in just 12 games in 2025, Young had a career year posting 38 stops, a career-high 10.0 sacks for a loss of 86 yards, a career-best 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and three recoveries. He will look to be a dominant force on the edge for the Black and Gold again in 2026.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Re-signed to a three-year contract extension by New Orleans, 3/10/25; Signed by the New Orleans Saints to a one-year contract (UFA-SF), 3/18/24; Traded by the Washington Commanders to the San Francisco 49ers for 2024 third-round draft pick, 10/31/23; Activated by Washington from Reserve/PUP, 11/21/22; Placed by Washington on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform, 8/23/22; Placed by Washington on Injured Reserve, 11/16/21; Signed by Washington to a four-year contract, 7/23/20; Selected as the second overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft by Washington.
HONORS – 2025: NFC Defensive Player of the Month (Dec./Jan.); 2020: AP and PFWA NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, PFWA All-Rookie Team, Pro Bowl, NFC Defensive Player of the Month and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month (December), Pro Football Focus Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week (Week 17).
2025 – Despite missing the first five games (calf), Young started all 12 games in he appeared in, amassing 38 stops, a career-high 10.0 sacks for loss of 86 yards, a career-best 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and three defensive fumble recoveries, tied with teammate Pete Werner and with two other players for first in the NFL, including one returned for a touchdown…At Chicago, Oct. 19, posted three tackles, a split-sack and two pass breakups…Vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 26, recorded four stops, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup…At L.A. Rams, added two solo tackles and a sack/stop for loss…Vs. Atlanta, Nov 23, recorded four stops, one sack/tackle for loss…At Miami, Nov. 30, contributed two solo stops, one sack and two stops for loss…Vs. Carolina, Dec. 14, tied season-high and career-best with six tackles (four solo), one sack and two stops for loss…Vs. N.Y. Jets, Dec. 21, added two stops, one sack and one fumble recovery…At Tennessee, Dec. 28, recorded four tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble/fumble recovery returned 33 yards for a TD…In season finale at Atlanta, 1/4/26, racked up six stops (three solo) to tie career-high/season-high, 1.5 sacks making it fourth consecutive week with at least one takedown for first time in career, two tackles for loss and one pass breakup…Efforts final five weeks of season earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors (Dec./Jan.). 2024 – Appeared in all 17 contests for New Orleans, playing in every game for the first time, and was a key contributor on the edge, posting 31 tackles (21 solo), 5.5 sacks for loss of 29.5 yards, career-highs with both 34 quarterback pressures and 21 QB hits, eight stops for loss, a forced fumble and three pass breakups…Had four tackles (two solo) and a half-sack in victory at Dallas, Sept. 15…At Atlanta, Sept. 29, added three solo stops, including one tackle for loss…In Monday Night Football at Kansas City, Oct. 7, posted three tackles (two solo) and a sack for a six-yard loss…Added two solo tackles and a stop for loss vs. Denver, Oct. 17…Posted two stops and a half-sack of Justin Herbert at L.A. Chargers, Oct. 27…Recorded one solo tackle/sack for loss of nine yards/forced fumble of Kirk Cousins in win vs. Atlanta, Nov. 10…Added two tackles and a half-sack/stop for loss of Jameis Winston vs. Cleveland, Nov. 17…In win at N.Y. Giants, Dec. 8, posted one stop, three QB hurries and one pass breakup…Recorded three solo tackles and two sacks to tie a career-high, vs. Washington, Dec. 15…Added a solo stop and one pass breakup at Tampa Bay, 1/5/25. 2023 – In 16 regular season games between Washington (seven) and San Francisco (nine), totaled 25 stops (17 solo), 7.5 sacks for loss of 49 yards and seven tackles for loss. Started all three postseason contests for the 49ers on their way to a Super Bowl LVII appearance and totaled eight tackles (six solo), one sack for four-yard loss and two stops for loss…Inactive for season opener (neck), Sept. 10…Made season debut for Washington in Week Two, recording three tackles (two solo) and 1.5 sacks at Denver, Sept. 17…At Philadelphia, Oct. 1, finished with three stops (two solo) and a sack…Notched season-high two sacks for 22-yard loss and added three solo tackles at N.Y. Giants, Oct. 22…Made 49ers debut at Jacksonville, Nov. 12, posting an assisted tackle/half-sack of Trevor Lawrence…Added two solo stops and one sack of Baker Mayfield for nine-yard loss vs Tampa Bay, Nov. 19…Posted two tackles (one solo) and a half-sack of Kyler Murray at Arizona, Dec. 17…Moved to the starting lineup for the postseason and added three tackles (two solo) in NFC Divisional Playoff victory over Green Bay, 1/20/24…Recorded two stops, a sack/tackle for loss of Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl against Kansas City, 2/11/24. 2022 – Missed first 14 games recovering from 2021 knee injury. In three games with two starts, totaled five tackles (three solo) and a pass breakup…In season debut at San Francisco, Dec. 24, added two stops (one solo) and one pass breakup. 2021 – Started all nine contests he appeared in for Washington, recording 26 tackles (15 solo), 1.5 sacks for 3.5 yard loss, three stops for loss, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups…In opener vs L.A. Chargers, Sept. 12, added three stops (one solo) and a pass breakup…Tied season-high with four tackles (three solo) in win at Atlanta, Oct. 3…Vs. New Orleans, Oct. 10, added three stops and first sack of season, when he dropped Winston…Totaled three tackles and half a sack of Mahomes vs Kansas City, Oct. 17…Posted one solo tackle vs Tampa Bay before suffering a season-ending knee injury, Nov. 14. 2020 – After being selected with the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Young burst onto the scene and was a force for Washington's defensive front, starting all 15 games (missing Week Four due to groin injury) he appeared in and recorded 44 tackles (32 solo), 7.5 sacks for loss of 34.5 yards, ten stops for loss, four forced fumbles, three recoveries, and four pass breakups on his way to Pro Bowl Selection and consensus NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year…Made his NFL debut in victory vs Philadelphia, Sept. 13, racking up four tackles (two solo), 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble…Made four solo tackles and one quarterback takedown of Murray at Arizona, Sept. 20…Finished with two solo stops at L.A. Rams, Oct. 11…Vs Dallas, Oct. 25, tied career-high with six stops (career-best five solo)…Added solo tackle/sack in win vs N.Y. Giants, Nov. 8…Vs. Cincinnati, Nov. 22, made three stops (two solo) to go with one forced fumble and one pass breakup…In win at Dallas, Nov. 26, posted two solo stops and a sack of Andy Dalton for a nine-yard loss…In victory at San Francisco, Dec. 13, tied career/season-high of six tackles (two solo), a sack for an eight-yard loss, a forced fumble/fumble recovery returned 47 yards for a TD and two pass breakups…Vs Carolina, Dec. 27, racked up three solo tackles, a sack/forced fumble/fumble recovery of Teddy Bridgewater and a pass defense…In regular season finale win at Philadelphia, 1/3/21, added two solo stops, a sack, and a fumble recovery…Added three tackles (one solo) in playoff debut vs Tampa Bay in NFC Wild Card Playoff, 1/9/21.
COLLEGE CAREER – In three seasons at Ohio State from 2017-2019, Young appeared in 34 games, racking up 98 tackles (68 solo), 30.5 sacks, 40.5 stops for loss, nine forced fumbles and eight pass breakups. His 30.5 sacks in three seasons rank second all-time in OSU history behind Mike Vrabel, who had 36 in four campaigns…In his final season as a Buckeye, Young was the nucleus of Ohio State's defense, leading the country and setting school records in sacks (16.5) and sack yards (117) on his way to a being selected a unanimous All-American, Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, one of just ten defensive players to be a finalist for the award since 1982. Young also won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award, Chicago Tribune Silver Football, Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year. Later named to the Big Ten Network's 2010s All-Decade Team as the only unanimous selection…In 2018, appeared in 14 games with 34 tackles (25 solo), 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 15.5 stops for loss on his way to a second-team All-Big Ten selection…Appeared in 12 contests as a freshman for the Buckeyes, adding 19 tackles (12 solo), 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and six stops for loss…Inspired by his father, Greg, and many relatives in law enforcement, Young pursued a major in criminology.
PERSONAL – Prepped at DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) HS. Won a state title as a senior, recording 118 tackles including 37 stops for loss, with 19 sacks and was a consensus five-star prospect, the No. 1 player in the state of Maryland and one of the top ten players regardless of position in the nation…Started his high school career at Pallotti (Laurel, Md.) HS…Since entering the NFL, Has collaborated with the ACLU, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and CUDDLY for the NFL's "My Cause My Cleats" initiative. CUDDLY is a fundraising and wish list platform founded by NFL referee John Hussey that sends much needed aid and supplies to verified nonprofit animal rescues with the intention of helping as many animals as possible…Hosts a free football camp in Washington D.C, continuing to give back to the metro area where he was raised…Has partnered with Good Sports, a non-profit with a goal of providing equal access to sports and athletics to children in under-privileged communities…Was the honorary pace car driver for the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway on Aug. 15, 2022, where he engaged in a Q&A with fans and was able to visit his friend and NASCAR driver Chase Elliott…In June, partnered with Old Spice and Walmart to host a youth football camp at East Jefferson High School…Sister, Weslie, played college basketball at North Carolina Wesleyan…Born on April 14, 1999 in Clinton, Md.
