NSD Profile: Landon Young
He's Kentucky's first five-star football commitment of the Rivals.com era. Beyond that, Landon Young needs no introduction.
Landon Young
6-foot-7, 300 pounds
Lexington (Ky.) Lafayette
Rank: Five stars (6.1), No. 3 OT nationally, No. 1 in Kentucky, No. 29 on Rivals100
Recruiting Rewind
Young committed to Kentucky so long ago it's almost difficult to remember the details. And his commitment was so early in the process that it almost went without a blip on the recruiting radar.
He had attended a camp at Kentucky, showing up as a 6-foot-7 but still-lanky lineman who was just trying out the offensive line after stubbornly sticking to defense to that point. Young was just coming into his body but his athleticism and potential for growth were undeniable. Kentucky offered and pushed for his commitment and they locked Young up. That was nearly three years ago.
Since that time Young has picked up offers from Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State and a host of others. He did take some visits to other schools but never wavered in his commitment to Kentucky. Late last year players like Young, Kash Daniel and Drake Jackson reaffirmed their commitment to Kentucky with various statements indicating they wouldn't take any more visits or entertain any more interest.
Scout Speak
He's got everything coaches would look for in a prototypical left tackle. Although he has room to improve his upper body strength and he can work on the consistency of his footwork everything else that Young does is elite. He already has good power when he extends his arms, and those arms are really long. He's got ideal wing span and a body that's nearly perfectly proportioned to continue growing into. Young also has almost no body fat and can carry a good deal more weight.
While Young was a dominant run blocker in high school right off the bat it's his pass protection that has dramatically improved as he's gotten bigger and better. He forces the nation's best pass rushers outside and out of the pocket and is almost effortless in the way he reacts to speed. He won't be crossed over often and still has the power to down block and drive opponents off the ball.
Setting the Bar
Not everyone will agree but it's entirely possible that Young wins the starting left tackle position as a true freshman. There's no guarantee that he will but Young has rare physical tools and has become increasingly polished.
It's difficult to imagine he wouldn't be one of the best four tackles on the roster next year, so while redshirts are usually desirable it really is hard to imagine him sitting out for an entire season.