Walter Young (American football) facts for kids

Walter Lee Young Jr. was born on December 7, 1979. He is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Walter Young played for the Carolina Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was chosen by the Panthers in the 2003 NFL draft. Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Illinois.

Early Life and High School Football

Walter Young was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA. He grew up in Park Forest, Illinois. He went to Rich East High School. There, he was a talented quarterback. His skills earned him all-state honors.

College Sports Career

Walter Young was a great athlete in college. He played both football and basketball for the University of Illinois.

Football at Illinois

When Walter first started college in 2000, he was a quarterback. But he soon changed his position to wide receiver. This was during his second year, known as his "redshirt sophomore" year.

That year, he started seven games. He caught 27 passes for 403 yards. As a junior, he played in 11 games. He was second on the team with 50 catches for 890 yards. He also scored eight touchdowns. He averaged 17.8 yards per catch, which was the best on his team.

In his senior year (2002), Walter started 12 games. He again ranked second on the team. He had 56 catches for 822 yards and six touchdowns. Walter finished his college career with impressive numbers. He was third all-time at Illinois with 2,382 receiving yards. He also had 15 touchdown catches. He ranked fifth with 147 total catches.

Basketball at Illinois

Walter Young also played for the Fighting Illini basketball team. During his junior year (2001–02), he played in two basketball games. He even scored two points in a game against Wisconsin.

This made him special. Walter was the first athlete from the University of Illinois since 1973 to play in games for both the football and basketball teams in the same season.

Professional Football Journey

Walter Young had a professional career in the NFL. He played for two different teams.

Playing for the Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers picked Walter Young in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL draft. In 2003, he played in seven games. He was targeted five times but did not catch any passes. He also made two tackles on his own. Walter was placed on injured reserve in December 2003. The Panthers let him go in August 2004.

Time with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Walter Young then joined the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was first signed to their practice squad in September 2004. He signed a contract with the Steelers in January 2005. He was later waived but rejoined the practice squad in September 2005. He signed with the Steelers again in February 2006.

In 2006, Walter played for the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe. He was the team's second-best receiver. He caught 31 passes for 370 yards and scored 3 touchdowns in 10 games.

After returning to the Steelers, he was promoted to the main team in November 2006. He played in two games that year. He made his first and only NFL catch, a 17-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger. Walter Young was part of the Pittsburgh Steelers team that won Super Bowl XL. He signed another contract with the Steelers in January 2007 but was let go in September 2007.

Life After Football

Today, Walter Young works in trade show operations. He works for a company called GCJ Management.