Where did Chase Young go to College?

As the NFL has become more and more heliocentric around the Quarterback and the passing game on the offensive side of the ball, the need for defensive talent that can go after the quarterback and produce sacks, fumbles, interceptions & incomplete passes has simultaneously increased.

Chase Young is the answer to that need for the New Orleans Saints for the 2024 NFL Season. Having originally been drafted by the Washington Commanders in the 2020 NFL Draft, Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in the middle of the 2023 season.

Young is currently 24 years old as of April 2024. He was born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland on 14th April, 1999 and has been a stellar multi-sport athlete since his high school days. Before settling on his Defensive Edge position, he’s also played as a quarterback, tight end, and outside linebacker.

Chase Young’s High School

Chase Young began his high school career at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel, Maryland, whose football team he led to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association C-conference championship in 2014.

Young then transferred to DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland in 2015. He recorded 19 QB sacks and 27 tackles for loss as he led the team to victory in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championship in his junior season. As a senior in 2016, he notched up 19 sacks, 118 tackles, five forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns, as his team marched on undefeated to another WCAC championship.

Young’s high school statistics had by then led to him being recognized as one of the most talented football prospects in the nation. He was included on the 2016 USA Today All-USA team and was also named the all-metropolitan defensive football player of the year by the Washington Post.

Chase Young’s College

Chase Young played for the Ohio State University (OSU) Buckeyes from 2017-2019. Having courted offers from over 40 universities, Young committed to the Buckeyes in July 2016. He began showing his immense talent as a rookie in 2017, recording 3.5 sacks, 18 tackles, and a forced fumble as a freshman in 2017.

Young broke out in 2018, as he became a starter for the Buckeyes. He notched up 10.5 sacks, 34 tackles, and a forced fumble as a sophomore. He also showed off his ability to shine the most under the bright lights, recording 3 sacks against the Northwestern Wildcats in the 2018 Big Ten Championship Game. Young was also named to the All-Big Ten Second Team for his performance across the season.

Yet, the 2018 season was just a glance at his forthcoming dominance, as Young balled out as a Junior in 2019, terrorizing opposing offenses. He recorded arguably the most dominant defensive season in Buckeyes history, recording 16.5 sacks, 21 Tackles, 7 forced fumbles, 3 pass deflections, and a blocked field goal in just 12 games. He broke the OSU’s single-season record for sacks and ended his career with 30.5 sacks in 3 seasons, which was second only to Mike Vrabel’s record of 36 across 4 seasons.

For his record-breaking season, Young was nominated to the 2019 College Football All-America Team, as well as being named as a finalist for the 2019 Heisman Trophy - a rare feat for defensive players. He also won a multitude of honors for his insane 2019 season, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award, Chicago Tribune Silver Football, Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, and Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year.

On the back of such a dominant campaign, Young forgoed his senior year of eligibility and declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Chase Young’s Draft

Chase Young was drafted 2nd overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2020 NFL Draft. Having immense game-wrecking potential during his college career, as well as the ability to single-handedly terrorize opposing offenses, meant that Young was viewed as the top defensive prospect entering the 2020 NFL Draft, and a potential candidate to be selected no.1 overall.

In the end, he was selected beyond only Joe Burrow, who was coming off a record-breaking season himself for the LSU Tigers, that included a College Football Playoff National Championship. Young attended the 2020 NFL Combine, but did not participate in any workout or drills, as he wished to not waste time being a “combine athlete”