Joe Gaiter: What does football mean to you?
Daelin Young: In all honesty, football means a lot to me. It was more than just a game for me. It provided opportunity and opened up doors for many things. It’s was huge life lesson for and It had an important impact on the man I am today, shaping my character and molding me into a unique, distinguished individual.
Joe Gaiter: What makes you ready for the NFL?
Daelin Young: My knowledge of the game, versatility, drive, and passion to be the best at what I do are tools I have, that I believe are essential to making me ready to play at the next level. I think I’ll be able to elevate my game to play, when the opportunity comes and being that I’m versatile I think they will be able to do a lot of different things with me. I’m also capable of doing all special teams.
Joe Gaiter: What is your motivation for playing the game?
Daelin Young: My motivation was my mom and younger siblings. Playing the game to me was me showing them that they’re support was what pushed me to be the absolute best. They kept me going even when things got tough and seemed to not go my way.
Joe Gaiter: Tell us about your season this year?
Daelin Young: I believe this season was one of my best seasons. The defensive scheme changed, and it put me in a role to do a lot of different things and be a huge asset on our defense. I was able to lead my team in sacks for the second consecutive year and also finish at the top in other things even though our record wasn’t the best.
Joe Gaiter: Who would you compare your football skill to that currently plays in the NFL?
Daelin Young: I would compare my football skills to Von Miller, because our role on the field is quite the same. A lot of things Von does I try to find ways to implement them into my game. He rushes the edge well, and I think that’s one of our strongest aspects.
Joe Gaiter: Who is your agent and why did you chose them?
Daelin Young: Currently I haven’t signed with anyone but I’ve been working closely with Derrick Parker and intend to sign with him and his agency in the next few days. I choose his agency because he was very upfront about everything and how things work, was a genuine dude and only focused only a few selected athletes.
Joe Gaiter: Do you have any regrets over your college career?
Daelin Young: The only regret I have now that I’m a bit older is not getting the opportunity to redshirt my freshman year. I came in and had to immediately have be an impact and play a role that was critical to our defense. I could have used that time to get stronger, bigger, and faster while learning to become a better player.
Joe Gaiter: Describe yourself in 3 words.
Daelin Young: Humble, Driven, Outgoing.
Joe Gaiter: Tell us about the bond you have with your teammates?
Daelin Young: The bond with my teammates is truly something special. They really like blood brothers to me. Over the past four years I’ve built relationships with great people, people who I still remain in contact with all the team. I’d give any of those guys the shirt off my back, and I’m truly thankful and grateful I’ve had the opportunity to be teammates with them.
Joe Gaiter: If you could go back to your freshman year, what would you do differently?
Daelin Young: I would have studied film a bit better. My freshman year was full of learning how to manage my time, and while I watched the adequate amount of time demanded from our coaches, I definitely should have spent more time in the coach’s office watching film with them.
Joe Gaiter: What separates you from other athletes that play your same position?
Daelin Young: My speed, physicality and hustle separates me from the other people at my position. Being able to be fast and physical at the point of attack is key to winning one on one battles but having a burning desire to be near the ball gave me that extra edge. My junior year, a lot of my tackles came from just hustling and running to the ball.
Joe Gaiter: What has your biggest accomplishment?
Daelin Young: My biggest accomplishment so far is being able to play at the next level, be successful on and off the field and potentially have an opportunity to play the next level. By coming this far, I’ve already distinguished myself and I plan to accomplish many more things.
Joe Gaiter: Do you have a backup plan if you don’t make it to the NFL?
Daelin Young: If the NFL doesn’t work out, in May, I’ll have a degree in Sports and Exercise Science and following graduation in September I’ll be attending Parker University to study and become a Doctor of Chiropractics. I’ve applied and in the last phase of my application process.
Joe Gaiter: When is your proday/combine?
Daelin Young: Our proday is coming up March 9th.
Joe Gaiter: Where and how often are you training?
Daelin Young: I’m training at Jerome’s Gym here in Dallas, Texas. I train Monday-Thursday 6 to 9pm, Friday at 12pm, Saturday at 9am and Sunday is my day off.
Joe Gaiter: Final Words and Shoutouts?
Daelin Young: I want to thank my awesome God and Family for always making things possible. I want to thank West Texas A&M for giving me four years of good memories. Want to give a shout out to my little brother Azaveshe Daniyan for signing to play ball at Army West-point and Shout out to all my DepotGang boys at WT and my boys T.Luke, J.Fellows, C.Collier, D.Greer, and R.Blair for the continued support since we were kids. Thank you guys for the time and interview. It’s been a long journey. Thankful God put on this path to walk.
Twitter: @OGDYoung
Instagram: @OGDYoung
Snapchat: @dyoung_broo
Facebook: Daelin T’ari Young
