Versatile lineman Avery Young seeks evaluation from NFL

AUBURN --Avery Young submitted his paperwork for evaluation by the NFL Draft Advisory Board,

The third-year sophomore offensive lineman is one of four Auburn players to seek additional insight, as is typical for eligible underclassmen.

"Avery Young is also check(ing)," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "We'll see what happens."

The versatile offensive lineman started all 12 games this season, seven at right tackle, three at right guard and two at left guard, and has practiced at center as well.

"Being the athlete that I am and being blessed to have the ability to do all the positions, it's really easy," Young said earlier this season. "It makes it great. Doing that has allowed me to learn the offense a lot better than I have before."

The 6-foot-6 315 pound Young, whose brother Willie Young Jr. plays defensive end for the Chicago Bears and cousin Thomas Davis is a linebacker with the Carolina Panthers, wants to see how he's viewed at the next level.

Young is ranked the No. 31 offensive tackle in the 2017 draft class by NFLDraftScout.com. Though he's not expected to leave for the draft, getting an assessment is typical for those underclassmen who are eligible and skilled enough to possibly be drafted.

"The facts are what they need," Malzahn said. "Each individual case is different."

Young, who started the 2012 season at right tackle but went down with a right shoulder injury and received a medical hardship waiver, has 24 total starts.

"He's a huge athlete," center Reese Dismukes said. "He's got very good feet and he's really come along this year. He's moved around and really accepted that responsibility very well. That's not easy — to be here one week and then here the next week. That's pretty difficult.

"In the future, I don't know what his grade's going to be or any of that stuff, but I see him having a bright future ahead of him."