It’s official: Chase Young, a defensive end and junior at The Ohio State University, announced his declaration for the 2020 NFL Draft on Friday.
Young, who was unanimously named a First-Team All-American, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist, among other accolades, announced the decision on Twitter.
James 1:17... Buckeye For Life...✌🏽❤️ pic.twitter.com/symHLRRuCB
— CY2 (@youngchase907) January 3, 2020
“I am extremely grateful to everyone who helped me make it to this point,” Young stated. “I give thanks and praise to God for blessing me with the ability to play football and the opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself.
Young is arguably the best defensive lineman in college football since Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh, a Heisman finalist in 2009. Of the 159 Heisman finalists since 1982, Young is the ninth defensive player, and the first since Jabril Peppers in 2016. He would have been the second to win the Heisman after Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997.
The 2019 Heisman Trophy was awarded to LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.
He is in line to be the first player taken if the team drafting first — right now it’s the Cincinnati Bengals — doesn’t take a quarterback. NFL teams covet his combination of speed and power. He is also an effective run stopper. For all he has done as a pass-rusher in college, he still has a high ceiling.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
