Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1492675
M A R C H 2 0 2 3 4 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P L A Y E R B I O S / / / / / / / P enn State signed only one high school receiver in its 2023 class. However, its lone addition at the posi- tion group, Carmelo Taylor, happens to be one of the fastest wideout prospects in the country. A 5-foot-11, 160-pound player from Patrick Henry High in Roanoke, Va., Taylor owns Virginia Class 5A outdoor track championships in the 100- and 200-meter races, with times of 10.56 and 21.34 seconds, respectively. He par- layed that speed into a thrilling foot- ball career in which he caught 91 passes for 1,801 yards and 32 touchdowns over his final two sea- sons. The Nittany Li- ons did not initially appear to be the choice for Taylor, a four-star prospect in the On3 Con- sensus. In fact, he pushed back his original decision date last July to take an unofficial visit to Virginia Tech. That move gave rise to speculation that the Hokies were Taylor's likely pick, with South Caro- lina also in the mix and Penn State looking like option No. 3. Behind the scenes, however, his deci- sion was shaping up much differently. He had developed a strong bond with the Lions' coaching staff and liked the family feeling he experienced in State College. Those considerations led him to give Penn State a verbal commitment in August. "I really started looking at the up- side of going to Penn State, and where it could put me in life," Taylor said. "It interests me that they pass the ball a lot. I love having the ball in my hands and love being able to perform for my team. "They want to use me as a deep threat. I felt like Penn State has developed a lot of good players. They've made normal players into excellent players. Penn State is an amazing place." Taylor was recruited by PSU's since- departed receivers coach Taylor Stub- b l e f i e l d . I n l a te January, the Lions h i r e d M a r q u e s H a g a n s a w a y from Virginia to take charge of the team's wideouts. One of the new coach's first pri- orities was to visit Taylor in Roanoke, and the two are starting to develop a bond. While he'll need to add weight be- fo re h i t t i n g t h e field in the Big Ten, Taylor knows that he's following the same path that led p re d e ce sso rs K J Hamler and Jahan Dotson to college stardom and even- tually to the NFL. "After I pushed back the first com- mitment, I talked it over with my par- ents," Taylor said. "We all really liked Penn State. My mama felt good that if I went to Penn State, I would be in safe hands. We have a few friends up there, so she felt like I'd be in a safe spot if I go up there. My dad was just excited be- cause his favorite college team was Penn State." ■ Taylor was thought to be favoring either Virginia Tech or South Carolina, but he committed to the Nittany Lions in August. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Carmelo Taylor Virginia wide receiver exudes game-breaking potential G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G. P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M WR | 5-11 | 160 Patrick Henry High Roanoke, Va. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Consensus HHHH 296 43 7 On3 HHH — 69 12 ESPN HHHH 285 34 5 Rivals HHH — 97 15 247Sports HHHH 213 28 8 Statistics • Caught 47 passes for 943 yards and 17 touchdowns during his senior year • Collected 44 passes for 858 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior • Made 30 catches for 325 yards and 9 scores as a sophomore Notable • Was a team captain in 2022 • Twice earned first-team all-region and all- conference honors as a receiver • Named Patrick Henry's offensive MVP his senior year Recruitment • Committed to PSU on Aug. 10, 2022 • Recruited by former receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter • Picked Penn State over Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Maryland and West Virginia • Officially visited June 24, 2022 2023 Projection Taylor's impressive speed could get him on the field quicker than expected, but at 160 pounds, he needs to add weight. A Year 1 red- shirt is likely. They Said It Patrick Henry head coach Alan Fiddler: "Carmelo is a big-time talent with next-level speed and outstanding athletic ability. He's had a big impact on his teammates by being a guy who goes out and shows it by working and practicing hard and always being ready to play." BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "Taylor has the speed to play outside but projects best as a slot player who can make good use of his elusiveness after the catch." T H E TAY L O R F I L E