Jared Verse, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner get a ton of attention and praise along the Rams’ defensive line, and for good reason. They’re crucial pieces up front, but Byron Young is a player who should not be forgotten.
Since coming in as a third-round rookie in 2023, all he’s done is make plays for the Rams. He has 84 total pressures in the last two years, according to Pro Football Focus, and before Sunday’s win over the Saints, he went nine straight games with at least three pressures.
Beyond just sacking the quarterback, he finds ways to create turnovers by generating pressure off the edge. In fact, he’s better at it than any other player in the NFL.
According to Next Gen Stats, Young is the only player in the league who has forced at least five turnovers via pressure this season. T.J. Watt and Danielle Hunter are tied for second with four, and five other players (including Verse) have three.
Byron Young is the only player to force 5️⃣ Turnovers via Pressure this season per @NextGenStats 🐏
Players to cause 4️⃣ TOs via Pressure:
– T.J. Watt
– Danielle HunterPlayers to cause 3️⃣ TOs via Pressure:
– Greg Rousseau
– Alex Highsmith
– Jared Verse
– Jadeveon Clowney
-… pic.twitter.com/0vP3YIZVXo— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) December 4, 2024
It was Verse’s pressure against the Packers that led to a pick-six by Jaylen McCollough. He also forced a fumble against the 49ers that Braden Fiske recovered, creating a takeaway in the Rams’ win over their rivals.
He had three other pressures that led to interceptions, as well, giving him five turnovers created by pressure on the year.
Young’s 34 total pressures rank fourth on the team and his six sacks are tied for the most of any Rams player this year – after tying for second on the team with eight sacks a year ago.
Young may not get the attention that Verse and Fiske do, but his impact on the Rams defense shouldn’t be ignored. He’s been a big reason for their success this season, as evidenced by the five turnovers he’s created.
