Rams' Sean McVay: Former Vols EDGE Byron Young an immediate contributor

Byron Young was a big part of a Tennessee team that made a massive turnaround in 2022. It seems his new head coach sees that kind of impact for a recent Super Bowl winner looking to get back to its winning ways. NFL Network reporter Bridget Condon spoke with Rams head coach Sean McVay and […]

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer

Aug 31, 2023 10:50 AM EDT

NFL Network reporter Bridget Condon spoke with Rams head coach Sean McVay and says McVay told her Young is one of four rookies who he believes could have an immediate impact for the Rams this fall.

Which rookies stand out to Sean McVay? "I'm really excited about Steve Avila, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Puka Nacua, those are guys that come to mind as guys that we count on being immediate contributors for us who have earned the right to be those types of immediate contributors pic.twitter.com/Rqde7S7ab6
— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) August 31, 2023

Young was a third-round pick by the 2021 Super Bowl champion Rams in April. He joins a defense that features a lot of different faces on the depth chart since Los Angeles hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February 2022. However, there will still be a familiar face on the team that will help Young grow: DT Aaron Donald, one of the greatest players at any position in modern NFL history.

Young was a bright spot on Tennessee's defense last fall, rolling up 7 sacks while earning first team All-SEC honors from the coaches and second team from the media. He had two sacks in the Vols' Orange Bowl victory over Clemson and also had an underappreciated play against the Gators, hitting Anthony Richardson on the game's final play to ensure his pass never reached the end zone and seal a 38-33 win.

Now, he will have a chance to harass quarterbacks on Sundays, including some very interesting names early in the season. The Rams will face Richardson and the Colts on October 1 between matchups against Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts. If Young does make a quick impact like his coach thinks, then he'll already be doing it against some of the biggest names in the league.