3 things to know about new LB Kenny Young...

3 things to know about new Rams LB Kenny Young

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva


Marcus Peters was in the final year of his contract, and rather than waiting for him to hit free agency in March, the Rams decided to unload him in a trade. They sent him to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for LB Kenny Young and a 2020 draft pick.

Young isn’t a name universally recognized by NFL fans, but he’s a promising young player with the potential to become a future starter at linebacker. Here are three things to know about the Rams’ newest linebacker.

He was a fourth-round pick in 2018 out of UCLA

Young was a four-star recruit out of high school and wound up picking UCLA, which was far from his home in New Orleans. He was a standout for the Bruins, leading the team with 110 tackles, 8.5 of which were for a loss. He was named All-Pac-12 that year, adding a sack and three passes defensed to his stat line.

The Ravens took a chance on him in the fourth round, selecting him 122nd overall. Young started three games as a rookie in 2018, recording 2.5 sacks and 51 tackles.

He scored well at the combine last year

Young was the ninth-fastest linebacker in Indianapolis last year, running a 4.60 40-yard dash, while also finishing fifth at his position in the bench press (23 reps). His 36-inch vertical jump was seventh-best at the combine among linebackers, as well. In the short-shuttle, he finished 15th at his position with a time of 4.48 seconds.

He obviously has the athleticism to play in the NFL, it’s just about finding the right fit and him playing consistently. He fits best as a weakside linebacker, allowing him to flow to the ball rather than take on blocks on the strong side.

He battled adversity on his way to the NFL

Young didn’t have it easy growing up. According to his NFL.com draft profile, he lived with a friend when he was younger because his mom had trouble paying rent. His father was diagnosed with cancer during his sophomore season at UCLA, in the same year that his grandmother passed away.

Young is regarded as someone with high-character traits and overcoming adversity such as the events he experienced in the past are an example of his mental toughness.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2019 01:45PM by Rams43.