Class of 2027 quarterback Trae Taylor, a 6-foot, 155-pound prospect out of Illinois, has worked into becoming a name to know in his class. His recruitment has taken off during this offseason and he currently has offers from Central Michigan, Marshall, Maryland, Michigan, and UNLV. Taylor, who will be attending Carmel Catholic, has been to eight total camps (a mix of several college and non-college events) since the end of the 2022 season. He’s had an opportunity to throw in from of college coaches and at events heavily attended by recruiting media.
“My favorite camps were THESHOW, Michigan (prospect camp), Notre Dame (prospect camp), and Wayne State (an event held by SMSB)” Taylor said when asked which camps he liked the most. “I was able to complete at every camp with older kids and it allowed me to play faster.”
That was evident as Youth1 had an opportunity to watch Taylor in action back in June at THESHOW by NXGN in Atlanta. In the game we were able to watch, Taylor threw a total of three touchdowns while playing for Team Ice at the high school division. Despite it being a 7-on-7, he performed with the poise of an experienced upperclassman.
Taylor has received several FBS offers and is receiving a lot of interest from schools at that level. He’s aware of the attention that he’s getting due the offers that he’s earned, but he remains focused on getting better at the things that helped him get to this point.
“It’s like a double-edged sword for me,” Taylor said when asked how it felt to get offers this early in his football career. “It feels great because I know coaches are really looking at me. It also lets me know that my hard work, (up) to this point, is paying off. The flipside is that now I must make sure I keep the coach’s attention. I don’t have time to really get excited about the offers. But I wouldn’t change my position. I know many kids that are older who are looking to get any offer.”
The feedback he’s received from college coaches has been mostly impressive. He’s had a chance to throw in front of some of the coaches from the schools that have offered him.
“They love the fact that I really know the game mentally,” Taylor said. “They also said that my footwork is good and that technically, I’m advanced. Each coach tells me to just keep working and get better, which is always my goal.”
Since the end of last season, Taylor has put in a lot of work at getting better as a quarterback. “I’ve definitely gotten better at playing with my eyes and moving defenders to spots I want,” Taylor said when asked what he’s gotten better at since the end of last season. He also gave credit to several people that have helped him grow as a player and person including Donovan Dooley (mental part and footwork), Steve Wilson (mental part), Robert Jamerson (sports therapist), Sam Moore (yoga), Gary and Dom Swanson (strength), and Marcus Thimios (speed). “I am not the quarterback that I am today without these coaches.”
Taylor has also drawn inspiration from people outside of his close circle. He revealed to Youth1 which NFL players have influenced him as a quarterback. “I have followed Justin Fields since he was in high school, “Taylor said. “I also follow Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. They inspire me to learn the game and to play fast while being super accurate.”
With the upcoming football season approaching, Taylor has goals that he is focused on accomplishing.
“I want to play varsity football and help my team win as many games as possible while being a great student and teammate. If I do all of that, everything else will fall into place.”
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Ed O'Brien @EdOBrienCFB 4 months ago