Carolina Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: War Room edition
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers draft Byron Young
- Defensive Line | Tennessee Volunteers
- Round No. 4 (Pick No. 121)
Adding a capable edge rusher to put alongside Brian Burns should be another big priority for the Carolina Panthers before competitive action begins in 2023. However, there are plenty of intriguing free agents still on the market and the franchise has enough salary-cap space to find an immediate difference-maker from the options available.
With that being said, bolstering their options via the 2023 NFL Draft is something else that should occur at some stage. Byron Young is a prospect gaining real momentum at the right time, which could see the Tennessee product go much higher than this when push comes to shove.
When examining Young's capabilities on film, the two things that stand out are versatility and athleticism. The player can operate as a defensive end, as a three-technique on the interior, and also has the frame to perhaps emerge into a 3-4 outside linebacker under the right coaching.
Young has a relentless motor and enough explosiveness to reach the contact point quickly. There is impressive fluidity in his movements off the line of scrimmage and the player is also developing well from a technical standpoint to further enhance his stock.
If there was one knock on Young, it's his age. The prospect is 25 years old and has just two years of starting experience under his belt, which is something that might put some teams off from taking the plunge in favor of younger options emerging from the college ranks.