The Ravens have added a cornerback to the roster.
Baltimore selected Temple’s Tavon Young with pick No. 104 on the third day of the NFL Draft.
Young, 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds, is a native of Oxon Hill, Maryland. He went to Potomac High School in Prince George’s County where he was a football and track star.
“I’m overwhelmed that they picked me,” Young said on a conference call with local reporters. “It’s like a kid’s dream to play for his hometown.”
Young also earned the respect of his teammates for being one of the toughest players on the roster. He was one of the smallest players on the team, but he never used that as a reason to back down from a challenge.
“Never fear no man. You just have to attack every situation,” Young said. “People are always going to have doubts, people are always going to doubt you, but if you just have that confidence and that dog in you, then none of that matters.”“I’m just a tough guy. I’m a tough player and that’s what a lot of coaches and people appreciate about me. They always talk about size, but no matter who it is or how big they are, I always come out on top. And I think that’s what makes me special.”
Young’s teammates and coaches actually voted him to wear the No. 1 jersey, which was an honor given for being one of the team’s toughest players. He was scheduled to wear the number for just one game, but held on to it longer after he went out and recorded a pair of interceptions in that season opener against Vanderbilt.
“Then they just let me keep it for the rest of the season,” Young said.
Young showed off that hard-nosed mentality in front of Ravens scouts on a couple of occasions in the pre-draft process. He went to the Senior Bowl in January and then worked out in front of the Ravens’ decision makers again at the team’s local pro day last month.
On both occasions, Young came out looking to prove himself.
“Coming into the Senior Bowl, I really had no name, so I knew I had to show off and just do what I had to do,” Young said. “I lined up against the best receivers out there and I locked them up.”
Baltimore came into this year’s draft looking to add players in the secondary, and Young has the kind of playmaking ability the Ravens want at the position. He can make plays on the ball for a unit that wants to improve from having a franchise-low six interceptions last year.Young is somewhat undersized for an NFL cornerback, but he’s already heard that plenty of times in his career. He could come to Baltimore and compete for a role as a nickel cornerback.
“I’m so excited and I can’t wait to get started,” Young said. “I’m ready now.”
