The state of Ohio produces NFL players as good as any NFL team. No one will question that. But the way the Buckeyes produce defensive players, specifically those on the defensive line, is becoming strange.
On Saturday, dDuring the NFL honor ceremony, former Scarlet and Gray star and current Washington football team ends up defensive Chase Young was named Defensive Rookie of the year for the league. Young becomes the fourth ex-Ohio State player to win this award in the past five seasons. Defensive end of San Deigo Chargers Joey bosa took home the award in 2016 and was followed by the cornerback of the New Orleans Saints Marshon Lattimore one year later. After the Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard won the award in 2017, he returned to Buckeyes when Nick Bosa was named Defensive Newbie of the Year in 2019 before Young this season.
Young ended his debut season with 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, 44 tackles in total, 1st for defeat, 12 quarterback strikes, 7.5 sacks, four defended passes, three fumble recoveries and a touchdown. He shone at the end of the season with an extension of five games that earned Washington the NFC East title and a playoff spot, Young recorded three sacks, made 15 combined tackles, three loss tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered three, including one that returned 47 yards for his first NFL touchdown during that race.
After coming to Ohio as a five star candidate, Young had to wait his time to show that he was a star. But as soon as he had the opportunity in 2019 to be the guy on the Buckeyes’ defensive line, Young shone.
As a junior in 2019, Young proved he was the best defensive player in college football, rewriting the defensive line records of Scarlet and Gray. The Ohio State captain recorded 46 tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss, 16.5 sacks – an Ohio state record – and seven forced fumbles. Young finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy 2019 vote after traveling to New York with a teammate Justin Fields. The defensive side took home the Bednarik Award, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Ted Hendricks Award, the Chicago Tribune Silver Football and was elected the Ten Big Defensive Player of the Year, the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, the main All-Big Ten team and a unanimous All – American.
Young was the national leader in bags and sacks per game (1.38) in 2019, finishing second in tackles for defeat and tackles for defeat per game (1.8). He was a key player in the defense of the state of Ohio, which ranked first in the ranking total defense (259.7 yards per game), No. 2 in passing yards (156.0 yards per game), red zone score (66 percent) and passing efficiency (97.50) and No. 4 in score (13.7 points per game).
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The defensive side ended his career in Ohio with 31 career sacks, the second largest in the program’s history and, after declaring himself early, was selected by the Redskins No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft 2020.