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From Dollar General to NFL Stardom: The Remarkable Rise of Byron Young
14 Nov
Summary
- Worked at Dollar General for 2 years after high school, now a top NFL pass rusher
- Overcame long odds, including no college offers, to make it to the NFL
- Ranked 4th in the league in sacks, named Defensive Player of the Month this season
In a remarkable story of perseverance and determination, Byron Young has risen from working at a Dollar General store to becoming one of the NFL's most dominant pass rushers. Just six years ago, the 25-year-old was an associate manager at a Dollar General in Columbus, Georgia, with no college football offers and an uncertain future.
However, Young refused to give up on his dreams. He walked on at Georgia Military College, where his speed and athleticism caught the attention of coaches. After a standout sophomore season at the University of Tennessee, Young was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Now in his second season with the Rams, Young has firmly established himself as a difference-maker on the defensive line. Currently ranked 4th in the league in sacks, he was recently named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Month. Young's relentless work ethic and unwavering belief in himself have been the driving forces behind his meteoric rise.
Despite facing doubts from some NFL teams about his age, Young has proven that he belongs at the highest level. The Rams, known for their unconventional approach to talent evaluation, saw the value in Young and have been rewarded with a dominant pass rusher who embodies the team's "draft-and-develop" philosophy.
