New Raiders S Taylor Took Unconventional Path to NFL

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Air Force safety Trey Taylor in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, a player who took his own path to get to the league.

Nov 19, 2022; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Air Force Falcons safety Trey Taylor (7) looks on / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders have put together their 2024 NFL Draft class. 

The Raiders used several day three selections to fill out their roster. Several picks were defensive backs, including Air Force safety Trey Taylor. 

Taylor joined the Raiders with the No. 223 overall selection in the seventh round. He had an excellent career with the Falcons, posting 205 total tackles, 11 for loss, 13 passes defended, and six interceptions. He won the Jim Thorpe Award and was an All-American in 2023.

For many draft picks, the story is similar: dominate in high school, have their choice of Power Five offers, dominate in college, and get to the NFL. 

Not Taylor. 

He did not receive a single Power Five offer coming out of Lone Star High School in Frisco, Texas, so he chose the Air Force Academy. 

Taylor said it was the best choice he could have made in football and life. 

“Yeah, that’s a great question,” he said after joining the Raiders. “So, first of all, when you said there were a lot of offers, there weren’t many that incorporated the academic and athletic excellence I wanted for my college career. And if for some reason football didn’t work out, I didn’t know what road I would have ended down on in any other school. And the ability to serve while playing football and while studying at one of the most prestigious schools in America, like you can’t really pass up that opportunity. So, I’m glad I landed there. And the Academy taught me a lot about myself. It taught me a lot about who I really am, the maturity I have as a person, taught me how to grow, how to spread my wings and made me the person I am today. So, I give everything I got back to the academy and what it’s done for me. I wouldn’t be here without it, so I’m really happy I chose that.”

Taylor is the type of player the Raiders would like to have on the field. He is also the type of person they will love in the locker room. 

He has the opportunity to earn a roster spot now. If he does, his unconventional path to the NFL will be complete.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.