A week removed from the NFL Scouting Combine, Zion Young is still projected to be the first former Mizzou player taken in the upcoming NFL Draft, set for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
Young did not participate in any of the individual measurable workouts in Indy, like the bench or 40-yard dash, but he did do his positional drills, where he continued to impress NFL scouts, general managers, and coaches.
Still, depending on which Mock Draft you read, Young's Draft projections vary. Some have him going late in the first round. Others have him scattered throughout the second round.
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– The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner has Young going 26th overall to Buffalo. His colleague, Dane Brugler, widely regarded in the industry as the most in-depth NFL Draft expert, projected Young to go 41st overall (Round 2-Pick 9) to Cincinnati in his post-Combine two-round Mock Draft.
Baumgardner wrote: "The range on Young is pretty wide, especially considering that he was charged with DWI late last year in Missouri. Inside the NFL, though, the rap on Young seems more focused on the fact that he's gigantic (6-6, 262, 33-inch arms) but moves like he's not. He's a very talented player with a ceiling to match."
– At ESPN, Jordan Reid had Young going 45th (Round 2-Pick 13) to the Ravens, writing: "The Ravens finished tied for 28th in the NFL in sacks last season (30) and need help on the edge. Young is a long-limbed, sudden pass rusher who can generate pressure as a standup outside linebacker or rush with his hand in the dirt."
ESPN's Mat Miller, meanwhile, ranked Young as the No. 33 overall prospect on his post-Combine Big Board and ranks him as the No. 6 overall EDGE defender in the 2026 Draft Class.
Miller wrote: "Young was productive in two seasons at Missouri after transferring from Michigan State. He's a powerful, edge-setting presence who had 6.5 sacks and 46 pressures last season while alternating between the left and right edge spots. He's a long, powerful 4-3 prototype with 33-inch arms and active hands that allow him to separate from blockers. Young's closing speed is better than his first step, but his relentless backfield penetration against SEC offensive linemen has stood out."
– At CBS Sports, Tom Fornelli, a college football writer and member of the Cover 3 Podcast, has Young going 25th overall to Chicago. Fornelli wrote: "Zion Young is, well, young, compared to a lot of the other EDGE prospects in this class. The Bears have needs all over their defense, but their pass rush was anemic in 2025. Young may not make an immediate impact but could prove to be a monster with further development."
– At The Ringer, Danny Kelly listed Young as the No. 45 overall prospect, writing that Young is a "tone-setting edge defender with a physical style that wears out opposing tackles."
Here is Kelly's full assessment of Young:
"Young is a ruggedly built and extremely active edge player who overpowers opposing tackles with unrelenting tenacity. A transfer from Michigan State to Missouri in 2024, he totaled 6.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss in 2025 to go with 52 pressures, per PFF, 18th among edge players nationally. Young's go-to move is his lethal bull rush; he gets underneath the pads of opposing tackles, churns his feet, and shoves the tackle into the quarterback. He keeps his hands fighting and works to shed blocks from snap to whistle, rarely settling for stalemates. He brings an effective inside countermove and has the upper-body torque to wrench blockers off his frame and out of the way. He flashes a cross-chop move to bat away opponents' hands and free himself off the edge, and his swim move sends opponents lunging. Young flashes some potential as an interior rusher on sub packages, and his quickness gives guards issues. He has good closing speed and can make up ground in a flash, often surprising the ballcarrier with how quickly he arrives. He finishes with some pop.
"Young lacks top-tier explosiveness off the edge; he won't consistently threaten the high side. He's a little stiff when he tries to bend into the pocket. He's more of a power rusher at this point and needs to build out a more well-rounded repertoire of moves. There are times when he takes the cheese on run fakes and finds himself out of position against the run. He can be pushed off his spot against the run."
– At NFL.com, Lance Zierlein is a big fan of Young, mocking him 19th overall to Carolina. Zierlein wrote: "Young is currently a better run defender than pass rusher, but he's also a big culture player. Missouri coaches say the relentless edge practices like he's in the middle of a game."
– At Pro Football Focus, one writer, Trevor Sikkema, had Zion going 31st overall to New England. Sikkema wrote: "Young had a quiet week in Indianapolis after opting not to go through any of the athletic testing, but we won't forget his performance in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, where he was one of the most dominant players. He is strong as an ox in run defense and took his pass rushing to new heights this season with a pass-rush win rate above 17.0%."
Another PFF writer, Max Chadwick, unveiled a three-round Mock Draft on Monday, where he projected both Young and Josiah Trotter to land in Cincinnati: Young as the 41st overall pick (Round 2-Pick 9) and Trotter as the 72nd (Round 3-Pick 8).
Cody Goodwin covers the Missouri Tigers for PowerMizzou and 247Sports. Follow him on Twitter/X at@codygoodwin.