2020 NFL Draft: Ohio State EDGE Chase Young scouting report

Scouting arguably the top prospect in the 2020 NFL draft class, Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young.

Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young has officially declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. Young is a highly-touted prospect that is considered to be a lock for the number two overall selection by the Washington Redskins.

Chase Young is a phenomenal athlete that is primed for success at the next level. Since his declaration, I have reviewed his film and completed his final scouting report ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Name: Chase Young
School: Ohio State
Position: EDGE
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 265 pounds

Career Stats (34 Games): 97 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss, 30.5 sacks, 8 passes defended, 9 forced fumbles
2019 Stats (12 Games): 46 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 7 forced fumbles

Film Assessment

Games Watched: 2018: Penn State 2019: Indiana, Wisconsin (Big 10 Championship), Clemson

Strengths: Young is a complete pass-rusher. He has every tool in his arsenal you want in a franchise edge defender. He is every bit worthy of being considered the top player in the 2020 NFL Draft.

It starts with his frame. It is the picture-perfect long, athletic, and strong build that is wanted in a dominant pass-rusher. He can beat you inside with power where he uses his hands so well, or he can beat you around the edge with his speed and bend. Young’s ability to threaten tackles in multiple ways helps him to be unpredictable and can use that to his advantage.

He attacks a “half-man” so often. This means that Young forces offensive tackles to win with only half of their body able to have significant contact to block him. The other hand and arm of the offensive lineman are simply useless because it can’t get the leverage or extension needed to be used effectively. Young is already so athletic and strong, but when a lineman can only utilize half of his body, he is even more dominant.

Weaknesses: There is honestly not much to dislike about Young’s game. His motor seems to slow up whenever the play gets away from him and he has no chance of making a play in the backfield. He isn’t the one to chase down ball-carriers through the second-level from behind because he typically doesn’t hustle through that point of the play.

Sometimes he can put himself at a disadvantage because of his lack of leverage at the point of attack. At times he can stand-up too much before engaging with the offensive lineman and doesn’t allow himself to utilize the full potential of his lower body.

At the collegiate level, this didn’t seem to slow him down all too much and would still one-on-ones despite his lack of leverage because of his pure talent. At the next level, however, he could run into trouble if he doesn’t find consistency in his get-off to maintain leverage.

Bend: 12/15
Technique: 12/15
Burst: 13/15
Pass Rush: 14/15
Technique: 10/10
vs the Run: 8.5/10
Coverage Skills: 2.5/5
Competitive Toughness: 2.5/5
Speed: 4.5/5
Tackling: 4.5/5

Final Film Grade: 8.35 (Top-10 Talent Film Grade)

Best Film: Indiana ’19
Worst Film: Clemson ’19
Best Trait: Pass Rush-Versatility
Worst Trait: Inconsistent Motor

Summary: Chase Young is everything you want in a top selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. He can win in a variety of ways. Teams have schemed specifically for him all season and he still somehow finished the season with 16.5 sacks while missing two games due to suspension. The suspension is nothing to be concerned about and is really a testament to how poorly the NCAA handles situations dealing with a student-athlete and money.

On the field, Young is a dominant force. You either double-team him or you lose, typically. He threatens offensive tackles inside with his strength and hands. He threatens them around the edge with his ridiculous speed and athleticism. There really is no way of consistently beating him one-on-one. His explosiveness out of his stance almost always gives him a head-start and when you have the physical gifts that he has with a jump on the ball, it’s hard to beat him.

Many people watched the College Football Semifinal Game against Clemson and were wary because he didn’t fill up the stat sheet, but when you watch the film, he is getting taken out of just about every play with chips and double-teams which led to his teammates getting one-on-one or untouched chances. His impact was felt in a different way, but the impact was still great and heavily impacted the success of the Clemson offense.

Young is not a prospect to overthink. He has all the traits to be an X-Factor in the NFL. Every play, the quarterback has to locate him and every game, the coaching staff has to scheme around him. That is the kind of impact Chase Young brings to a defense.

It is likely that Chase Young will be the second-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to the Washington Redskins. There, he will join a young and talented group headlined by Montez Sweat, Da’Ron Payne, and Jonathan Allen. With Ron Rivera now at the helm, and Dwayne Haskins entering his second season in the NFL, the Washington Redskins will be primed to find success in the coming years.