Scouting the 2020 NFL draft: Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State

By Bryan Perez | May 1, 2019

Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

Our ‘Scouting the 2020 NFL Draft’ series continues, this time focusing on Ohio State edge defender, Chase Young, who some project as a top-five pick next April.

Ohio State edge defender Chase Young will enter the 2019 college football season ranked as the top pass-rushing prospect in the country. Assuming he stays healthy, he’ll look to continue the trend of high first-round picks produced by the Buckeyes’ defense with Nick Bosa the most recent example. Bosa was selected second overall by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL draft.

Young is a different type of player than Bosa, however, and still has areas of growth needed before he can be ranked as high as his former teammate.

Young was considered one of the country’s top high school recruits. He was a consensus five-star prospect and among the 10-best players in the nation. So, expectations were high when he stepped on campus in Columbus.

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Young’s met those expectations through two seasons so far. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman in 2017 and finished the season with four sacks. He enjoyed a breakout year in 2018 when he totaled 10 sacks, 33 tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss. His 2018 campaign took him out of Bosa’s shadow and placed him at or near the top of the list of must-watch players this fall.

Physically, Young has a prototype makeup for today’s NFL edge defender. Unofficially listed at 6-5 and 265 pounds, Young has a well-built frame with good length and muscle mass. He could probably add another five pounds without issue. His size — and ability to get bigger — will help his draft stock. He won’t be scheme dependent.

Athletically, Young flashes high-end movement skills and change-of-direction ability, but there are times when you’re left wanting more. His motor doesn’t always burn hot and he can be a bit sluggish out of his stance on occasion. But when he’s playing at a peak level, there aren’t many offensive linemen in the country who can block him.

As a pass rusher, Young flashes a nice rip move and, when he gets a good fit and extension with his hands off the snap, can stack and shed en route to the quarterback really well. He doesn’t have the quickest first step, but when his hands hit their target, he’s slippery enough to get by his opponent and make a play on the quarterback. He’ll need to develop more of a power game to complement his OK speed rush.

As a run defender, Young displays a good mix of patience and tackling ability. He stays true to his assignment and can set the edge. There are times when he gets caught peeking in the backfield, however. He also needs to do a better job playing from snap to whistle.

Overall, Young has a chance to be the elite defensive prospect in the 2020 NFL draft, but it will take some work and development to get there. He needs to get stronger at the point of attack and develop a better get-off at the line of scrimmage. If he does, there won’t be much stopping him from being a top-10 pick.

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