The Baltimore Ravensknew they were getting an elite athlete when they added Zion Young. What they may not have expected was how quickly he would adapt to the nuances of playing edge rusher at the NFL level.
Speaking with reporters this week
, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver offered a glowing assessment of Young's development, saying the former draft pick has exceeded expectations through his first training camp."[Zion Young] is certainly ahead of where I expected him to be."
For Weaver, the praise goes beyond physical traits. While Young possesses the size, speed, and athleticism that made him an intriguing prospect, his willingness to learn has been equally impressive.
"If you watch that kid, obviously he has all the physical traits in the world,
but he just works. He is one of those guys. When he messes up, he does not get upset. He does not get mad. He just fixes it."
That approach has accelerated Young's development as a pass rusher. In college, elite athleticism often allowed him to win on talent alone. The NFL demands a different level of refinement, requiring rushers to develop plans, angles, counters, and an understanding of how to attack offensive tackles. According to Weaver, Young has embraced that challenge.
"In college, you can get by just by being a better athlete, being more physical than guys. You cannot do that in this league. You have to adjust your angles, your plan of attack, things like that, and he has already made those adjustments."
Weaver credited both outside linebackers coach Harland Bower and Trey Hendrickson for helping Young sharpen his approach. The result, according to Baltimore's defensive coordinator, is a player whose pass-rushing ability has already improved dramatically in a short amount of time.
The Ravens have no shortage of talent along the defensive front, which should allow Young to continue developing at a measured pace. If Weaver's evaluation is accurate, however, Baltimore may already have a player progressing faster than anticipated.
"The ceiling is very high for that kid. I love him, man. Love where he is at and love where he is headed."
What more needs to be said? If we learned he was on schedule, that would certainly be satisfying. Learning he is ahead of schedule adds another reason to be pleased with where the young rookie is headed.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens rookie Zion Young is already refining his pass rush
