Story of NFL team allegedly trying to draft a former Tennessee Vols standout but selecting the wrong player goes viral
A crazy story involving a former Tennessee Vols standout and a potentially botched NFL draft selection is going viral on social media this week. Earlier this week, Raiders Nation Radio host Q Myers told ESPN Radio that he's convinced that the Las Vegas Raiders meant to draft Tennessee defensive lineman Byron Young in the 2023 […]
A crazy story involving a former Tennessee Vols standout and a potentially botched NFL draft selection is going viral on social media this week.
Earlier this week, Raiders Nation Radio host Q Myers told ESPN Radio that he's convinced that the Las Vegas Raiders meant to draft Tennessee defensive lineman Byron Young in the 2023 NFL Draft, but they instead drafted Alabama defensive lineman Byron Young.
Bama Byron Young was selected with the No. 70 overall pick while the Big Orange Byron Young was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 77 overall pick.
“This is just me, I don’t know this for a fact, but I definitely believe they selected the wrong Byron Young," said Myers. "I think unintentionally. I think it was just attention to detail. I don’t know this, and it could just end up being a funny, but he was selected before Byron Young went to the Rams, and I remember a lot of people said ‘Wait, are you sure it’s the Alabama one that they’re taking?'”
The Bama Byron Young, who wasn't expected to go that high in the draft, was released by the Raiders after just one season.
Big Orange Byron Young, meanwhile, has been a revelation for the Rams, totaling 15.5 sacks over his first two seasons in the NFL.
Back in 2023, Young (the one who went to Tennessee) seemed to lend some credence to the idea that the Raiders drafted the wrong Byron Young.
"There's one part a lot of people don't know," said Young while recounting his draft story. "There's another Byron Young that went to the Raiders. So I was sitting there and, you know, when I first met this guy, I knew one day this would happen. So me and him come out (of college) at the same time. I'm sitting down and my agent texts me and says, 'congratulations…you got drafted to the Raiders'. So I'm getting happy and [then] he said, 'oh nevermind, they texted the wrong agent'. So I'm upset and the Raiders are about to [draft] and my family don't know that. So I'm sitting there and they're about to say his name and I'm like should I turn off the TV for like three minutes or just go ahead and take this. So I'm sitting there and they say that the Raiders drafted Byron Young, my family started cheering, and I'm sitting there just hurt. I was like that's not me."
We'll likely never know for sure (unless someone in Las Vegas admits it) if the Raiders meant to pick the other Byron Young. But it definitely seems like a plausible scenario considering the confusion immediately before the pick (and the fact that Bama Byron Young is no longer with the Raiders).
Either way, it worked out pretty well for Big Orange Byron Young. He's in the NFL playoffs with the Rams and the Raiders are looking for a new coach and a new GM.
