| No. 49 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 22, 1960 West Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 199 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | West Monroe (LA) | ||||||||
| College: | Louisiana Tech | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1982 / Round: 10 / Pick: 273 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||||
Andre Benoise Young (born November 22, 1960) is a former professional American football player who played defensive back for two seasons for the San Diego Chargers[1]
While in middle school, Young played as a quarterback.[2] He attended West Monroe High School in West Monroe, Louisiana, where he played offensive tackle and some tight end on the football team.[2]
As a freshman at Louisiana Tech, Young played weakside linebacker.[2] He earned first-team all-Southland Conference honors as a sophomore in 1979 at defensive end.[3][4] Young was moved to middle linebacker the following season and again earned a first-team all-conference selection.[3][5] He changed positions once again as a senior; he was converted to a defensive back.[3]
Young was selected in the tenth round (273rd overall) by the San Diego Chargers in the 1982 NFL draft.[3] He started the preseason as the fifth-string strong safety.[3] In an exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys, Young recorded four tackles, three assists, an interception, and a touchdown-saving pass deflection in two quarters of playing time.[3] He earned a spot on the Chargers' final roster.[6] In his NFL debut, Young forced a fumble, recovered two fumbles, and intercepted a pass from Craig Morton in their season-opening win over the Denver Broncos, with the Los Angeles Times saying that "there couldn't have been a more unlikely defensive star."[7]
On October 9, 1983, Young picked off Jim Zorn and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to help the Chargers beat the Seattle Seahawks 28–21.[8] It was both his first touchdown as a pro, and his first since high school.[8] In the 1984 season opener, Young recorded two interceptions to help the Chargers defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 42–13.[9] He was waived by the Chargers on July 9, 1985.[10]