Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Is Michigan State first stop on road to NFL for Coatesville’s Aaron Young?

A quick and shifty running back, Young also plays cornerback and returns kicks for the 9-0 Red Raiders.

Coatesville runs for a long gain in last season's PIAA Class 6A state semifinal vs. St. Joseph's Prep.
Coatesville runs for a long gain in last season's PIAA Class 6A state semifinal vs. St. Joseph's Prep.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

Coatesville's Aaron Young, one of the state's most dynamic and productive running backs, committed to play at Michigan State on Sunday.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound senior said one of the big factors behind his decision was the relationship he developed with Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio.

"I was real comfortable in talking with him," Young said. "Also, I liked the plan he had for me when I get to college."

Young chose Michigan State, which he visited during the summer, over finalists Northwestern and Rutgers. Arkansas and Penn State were also in the mix.

"A lot of Michigan State running backs have gone on to play in the NFL, including Le'Veon Bell, and that was something I liked," the 17-year-old said.

This season Young has carried 91 times for 895 yards and 14 touchdowns. Coatesville is 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the Ches-Mont League National Division.

Young's two older brothers are playing college football: Jordan is a linebacker at Old Dominion; Avery is a defensive back at Rutgers.

Last season, Young rushed 171 times for 1,699 yards and 35 touchdowns as the Red Raiders went 13-2 and claimed the PIAA District 1 Class 6A title with a 35-28 victory over Garnet Valley. The squad fell to St. Joseph's Prep, 53-49, in a state semifinal.