Colbie Young knows time running out on opportunity to meet NFL potential

INDIANAPOLIS — Colbie Young stood in front of a room at the NFL Scouting Combine as a man of missed opportunities, fully aware his time to impress is running out quickly.

Young’s potential as a 6-foot-5, 220-pound receiver has brought him this far, even if he has not made the most of elite opportunities at Miami and Georgia.

“I know I don’t have the highest draft grade in the world right now,” Young said Friday during his podium interview at the NFL combine inside the Indiana Convention Center. “So I’ll probably have to scratch and claw to stay in this league, but I’ll do whatever it takes to stay in.”

Specifically, Young was speaking to the need for him to embrace special teams if selected in the NFL draft.

Once viewed as a potential Day Two (second and third rounds) pick in the NFL draft, Young’s stock has dropped after he suffered a fractured leg the seventh game of the season.

Young got a long look from team doctors during the medical part of his evaluation in Indianapolis on Friday before putting in final prep to perform in NFL combine drills starting at 1 p.m. Saturday (TV: NFL Network).

Young, coming off a 26-catch, 358-yard, one-touchdown season, looks to run and jump as fast and as high as possible.

NFL scouts will be looking for signs that Young can live up to the potential his rare size-speed combination suggests he might have at the next level.

Young knows that as well as anyone, and he said as much Friday.

“There’s always room to grow. I’m not perfect. I’m a young athlete. I can definitely get better. I can learn from a lot,” Young said. “That’s why I want to continue to play this game. It’s a game that I love, and I want to see how I can perform at my full potential.”

Young’s team interviews also will be important, as franchises typically investigate and follow up on issues that have led to player suspensions.

Young was suspended from Georgia in October 2024 following accusations he faced involving a well-documented domestic incident.

Kirby Smart, who acquired Young through the NCAA transfer portal, has stood behind his player and vouched for his character, affording him another chance on the Georgia football team by reinstating him for the 2025 season.

The 2025 season was going along well for Young before he suffered the fractured leg against Ole Miss on Oct. 18.

Young showed his grit and determination by making a remarkable recovery from the injury, returning to practice in December and playing against Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, when he had three catches for 22 yards.

“I’ve learned to play like a pro, be a pro every day and show up every day,” Young said, asked about lessons learned from Smart. “Love the game and love everything I do.”