Player Profile: Sam Young

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Sam Young
Position: Right Tackle
Size: 6'8, 316
Age: 23, 6/24/87
College: Notre Dame
Drafted: Round 6, #179 - 2010
Experience: 1 season

Salary History and Contract Status: 7/14/2010: Signed a standard 4-year, $1.9005 million contract. The deal included a $110,500 signing bonus.

Pre-2010: A 4-year starter at Notre Dame, Sam Young has spent plenty of time playing in the big league situations. But, after being regarded amongst the very best OL prospects out of high school, his stock had slid to a point where he was the 18th tackle taken on draft day of 2010 where he was taken with the 179th pick overall. Here was his Ourlads scouting report from their predraft guide: Four Year Starter. Angular frame with average feet. Not a natural knee bender. Has all the measurables - athletic ability, long arms and big hands for the right tackle position. Played in a pro style offense. Lacks core strength. Has good weight room strength. An enigma. Good intangibles. Tough and will play injured. Is durable. Inconsistent anchor versus a bull rush. High cut build. Lacks the strength to be a people mover. Played more physical in 2009. Good effort to hustle downfield to make a second block. Takes good angles to the second level. Gets depth quickly in pass protection. Good football intelligence and learns quickly. Must work to bend his knees and hips to come off the ball quicker. Too high cut to play with leverage. Struggles in pass pro with edge speed rusher. Does not play to athletic numbers. Sixth/seventh Round.

2010: After a lengthy absence that started in late August with a camp injury, Young was inactive for 13 out of the 16 games and in the other 3 games in which he was active merely played minimal special teams duty. In a year where the Cowboys had very poor play from their Right Tackle, it bewildered many why he was not allowed even a drive or a quarter of play in the final game against the Eagles in Week 16. Nevertheless, the Cowboys did not take advantage of this opportunity and the entirety of 2010 was used as basically a Redshirt year for the tackle. With all of the natural tools, he only has to gain in the strength in the weight room and technique on the field that many feel are his biggest question marks and weaknesses. But that is always a big "if".

2011 Analysis: Given that Marc Colombo and Alex Barron are likely done in Dallas, Young may have every opportunity to demonstrate in 2011 whether he is a prospect for starting duty or simply a reserve/developmental player. In watching some of his play in 2009 for the Fighting Irish, there is reason to believe that he can turn into something reasonable if his strength can ever match his frame, but the premise that he could start in 2011 at Right Tackle seems like a very far-fetched and optimistic appraisal of his situation. At best, I would predict he could be a very capable swing tackle who would be ready to step in and offer relief at either tackle spot for short spells.