NFL analyst Bucky Brooks put together a list of players that proved him wrong in the 2025 season, and New Orleans Saints edge rusher Chase Young was among those highlighted. Young stood out in a big way, earning recognition for outperforming expectations and silencing doubts about his impact.
Young quickly put those doubts to rest in 2025, proving Brooks wrong with his consistent production and relentless presence off the edge. He played with the same urgency and explosiveness all season, routinely pressuring quarterbacks, setting the edge in the run game, and emerging as a tone setter for the Saints defense. Rather than regressing after getting paid, Young elevated his impact reminding everyone why he was a former number one overall pick.
Chase Young proves the doubters wrong in breakout season
Chase Young silenced doubts with his most complete and productive season to date. He set career highs in several categories, despite missing the first five games of the season. Young's 10 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, four passes defended were all the best of his career and highlighted how dominant he was when available.
It was understandable that Bucky Brooks had doubts about Young’s ability to remain disruptive after securing a premium contract, but he failed to account for the comfort Young would gain in his second season in New Orleans. Additionally, the Saints transitioned from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. That shift proved to be monumental. Those overlooked changes proved to be the difference, turning skepticism into confirmation of Young’s elite potential.
Now that Young has rewritten the narrative, the next step is to carry that production through a full season. A full season of this production would give him a strong chance to earn his first Pro Bowl nod since his rookie year in 2020 and a real shot at All Pro honors. It would also cement his status as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, just as many projected when he entered the league and showed his early potential.