Chase Young is one step closer to crossing the NFL draft stage.
The star Ohio State edge rusher announced his intentions to apply for entry into the 2020 NFL Draft on Friday, sending a heartfelt message to his university and teammates. Appropriately, considering the impact Young had on Ohio State's fortunes in the last three seasons, his message ended with a list of his collegiate achievements.
Young racked up 16.5 sacks in 2019, leading all of college football despite missing two games due to an off-field eligibility issue. He finished with 46 tackles and six forced fumbles, wreaking havoc for offensive tackles throughout the Big Ten and beyond while compiling quite a highlight reel for himself. His four sacks of Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan in their regular-season meeting officially introduced him to the nation as a potential top-five NFL draft selection.
Young was a Heisman Trophy finalist, though never came close to runaway winner Joe Burrow, and was one of two Buckeyes to make the trip to New York City. Quarterback Justin Fields, likely a first-round pick in 2021, was the other Buckeye to make the trip to New York.
There could be an assembly of Buckeyes in the nation's capital come late April. The Washington Redskins own the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft, and with quarterback already addressed with their 2019 first-round pick spent on fellow Ohio State product Dwayne Haskins, the Redskins could turn to Young to address a need on the defensive line.
It seems this possibility has already entered the minds of Haskins, and maybe fellow former Buckeye and current Washington teammate Terry McLaurin.
We'll see where Young's journey takes him in the spring. Just know this is far from the last you'll hear of him.
