The Baltimore Ravens selected Missouri defensive end Zion Young with the No. 45 pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Young is the first player from Mizzou to be drafted this year.
Key points
Zion Young was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He was drafted with the No. 45 overall pick in the second round.
Young is the first player from Missouri to be drafted this year.
He is the seventh Missouri player drafted in the opening three rounds since 2020.
Young had significant buzz as a potential first-round pick.
Missouri football defensive end Zion Young is officially heading to the NFL after the Ravens used the No. 45 overall pick to bring him to Baltimore in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday, April 24, in Pittsburgh.
Young is the first Mizzou player to come off the board in this yearās draft. The Tigersmissed out on having a first-round draft pick for a third straight year, which would have tied a program record. Young had some pre-draft first-round buzz.
The defensive end is the seventh Missouri player to be drafted in the opening three rounds of the draft since head coach Eli Drinkwitz took over in Columbia in 2020. The Tigers have had an edge rusher drafted in three of the last four years.
Young has been a fan- and team-favorite at Mizzou for the past two years. Heās a self-proclaimed loud locker room presence and emerged as an ultra-physical pass-rusher for the Tigers in his senior season.
Now, heās taking his talents to Baltimore as a second-round pick.
Here is what you need to know about former Missouri defensive end and Ravens draft pick Zion Young:
Missouri football DE Zion Young college stats
Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) warms up before the Gator Bowl against the Virginia Cavaliers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images
Q&A
Who is Zion Young and what position does he play?
Zion Young is a defensive end from Missouri, known for being a physical pass-rusher.
What round was Zion Young drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Zion Young was drafted in the second round with the No. 45 overall pick.
How many players from Missouri have been drafted in the opening rounds since 2020?
Zion Young is the seventh player from Missouri to be drafted in the opening three rounds since head coach Eli Drinkwitz took over in 2020.
What impact did Zion Young have at Missouri before entering the NFL Draft?
Zion Young was a fan-favorite and a standout pass-rusher during his senior season, known for his loud presence in the locker room.
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Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) warms up before the Gator Bowl against the Virginia Cavaliers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images
Young spent the past two seasons with Missouri, transferring to the Tigers after two years at Michigan State. He's a violent pass rusher that has been tough to contain during his time in Columbia.
He played 26 games in Columbia, locking down a starting role at MUās field end position. Young led Mizzou with 57 quarterback pressures in 326 pass rushing snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus. That also was the second-most in the SEC.
Young had 6.5 sacks as part of 16.5 total tackles for loss last season. He forced a team-high two fumbles, batted two passes and had 42 total tackles in the 2025 season.
Zion Young highlights, strengths
The lasting memories of Young in a Mizzou uniform will be his scoop-and-score touchdown in 2024 to beat Oklahoma and, one year later, perhaps the best coin toss meeting of all time right before he made a series of pivotal plays to help Mizzou beat Auburn on the road in overtime.
First, the game-winning touchdown.
Now, the all-time coin toss moment.
Young is the guy you can hear yelling over the officialās microphone.
And, for good measure, some more great Zion Young tape.
He's a violent player off the edge who flat-out seems to enjoy contact. That's what made him one of the most-impactful defensive ends in the Southeastern Conference last season. There weren't many players who put quarterbacks under more pressure than Young.
Zion Young weaknesses, concerns
Missouri football defensive end Zion Young was arrested in December on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, speeding, and a failure to properly affix a license plate to his vehicle, per Missouri State Highway Patrol arrest records.
Zion Young height, weight
Young measured in at 6 foot 5Ā¾ and 262 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine.
He has a 33-inch arm length and 9Ā½-inch hands.
Oct 18, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) moves in to tackle Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) during the fourth quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images
Oct 18, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) moves in to tackle Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) during the fourth quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images
He was a three-star high school prospect in the Class of 2022.
Nov 29, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz celebrates with defensive end Zion Young (9) and the Battle Line trophy after a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Missouri won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Nov 29, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz celebrates with defensive end Zion Young (9) and the Battle Line trophy after a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Missouri won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Jul 17, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young talks to the media during the SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Jul 17, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young talks to the media during the SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Zion Young draft grade
We will update this section in accordance with the USA Today Sports draft tracker.
Does Zion Young fit Ravens needs?
We will update this section in accordance with the USA Today Sports draft tracker.
