Becoming a Raven

Surrounded by family and friends, Young watched the first two nights of the NFL draft at the D.C.-area house of his godmother, Cydni Bickerstaff, the daughter of longtime NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff. He didn’t expect to go any earlier than the third round, but he grew frustrated when he saw some defensive backs he believed he was better than going earlier. When Crump left Bickerstaff’s home after the end of the third round, he predicted that Young wouldn’t be on the board much longer, and mentioned that his former pupil was an “Ozzie Newsome-type player.”

With the first of his five fourth-round picks, Newsome, the Ravens general manager, selected Young. After getting the call, Young and his family and friends immediately hopped in their cars and drove to M&TBank Stadium to attend a Ravens draft event.

“It was almost like a presidential parade,” Crump said.

Crump said that sitting in the stands in Baltimore on Sunday and watching Young match up against Brown, one of the game’s most prolific receivers, was surreal. He marveled at how far Young had come.

Five years earlier, Crump had a hard time drumming up interest in the high school senior. Three weeks earlier, Young had been victimized by Beckham for a game-winning touchdown. He had learned from both experiences. “He loves the game, and we love everything he brings to our team,” Ravens safety Eric Weddle said. “His confidence, his energy. And he has a quiet demeanor that kind of calms everyone when we are out there.”