Film Study: Raiders S Trey Taylor

The Las Vegas Raiders added to their secondary in the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting Air Force safety Trey Taylor. 

Somehow, Taylor, a Jim Thorpe Award winner, fell to the seventh round. He finished his collegiate career with 205 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, two and a half sacks, 13 passes defended and six interceptions. He was a first-team All-American in 2023 as well.

The Raiders have their two starting safety spots locked down, but Taylor could still find his way onto the field in his rookie season. 

Let’s look at Taylor’s tape and see what makes him such an intriguing prospect. 

The first thing that shows up on tape with Taylor is his size. He has the necessary size to be a true center fielder at safety in the league. 

Taylor had an impressive game against UNLV last season, recording three total tackles and an interception. He had good coverage against the Rebels’ receiver on that interception and jumped in front of the pass. 

Taylor’s IQ gives him a real shot at staying on an NFL roster and eventually becoming a starter. He is the type of safety who can diagnose plays and orchestrate the rest of the defense, similar to Jessie Bates III or Xavier McKinney. 

Taylor is fairly up-and-down in the run game. He has long strides and can identify where the ball is going, but he does not have the speed to blow it up or make consistent tackles for loss. In his rookie season, at least, he will only be able to play on passing downs. 

However, Taylor will be excellent on those coverage downs. He has long strides and can cover from sideline to sideline quickly. He has the size to eclipse wide receivers and the build to hang with tight ends over the middle. 

Beyond his play on the field, Taylor is going to be an excellent locker-room guy and leader. He will put forth maximum effort on the field on every snap, which Coach Antonio Pierce will love. 

The Raiders may have a steal with Taylor, and it should be interesting to see how he fares throughout the preseason.

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