Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/462058
2015 RECRUITING ISSUE is to maximize every experience. "That's what college is all about, just being able to grow as a person and be away from what I'm used to," he said. Yet still feel at home at the same time. ✦ ELIJAH TAYLOR DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6-3 • 285 MOELLER H.S. CINCINNATI RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — 39 25 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 34 14 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 19 14 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 203 20 11 MEASURABLES • An active weight lifter throughout his high school career, he has bench pressed 410 pounds and squatted 620 pounds. STATISTICS • Finished with 68 tackles, eight stops for loss and five sacks during Moeller's 10‑4 season and run to the Division I state semifinals last fall. • Recorded 68 tackles and six sacks during 14‑1 season his junior year in 2013, when Moeller defended its Division I state championship with a 55‑52 win versus Cleveland Mentor. • Broke into starting lineup as sophomore on Moeller's first state championship football team since 1985, recording a sack and forcing a fumble in the 20‑12 title game victory versus Toledo (Ohio) Whitman. HONORS • Recognized as a first‑team Division I all‑state selection by both the Associated Press and Cincin- nati Enquirer after his senior year. RECRUITMENT • Originally offered a scholarship by Notre Dame prior to its 14‑10 win over USC on Oct. 19, 2013, during his junior season. He verbally committed on June 13, 2014, over Ohio State, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State and Tennessee. • Took his lone official visit to Notre Dame on Jan. 16, 2015. • Primarily recruited by Irish defensive line coach Mike Elston. NOTABLE • Born on Feb. 21, 1997. • His father, Kevin, played defensive back at Mi‑ ami (Ohio) in the 1980s. • Played basketball his freshman year at Moeller before devoting full concentration on football and weight training. 2015 PROJECTION • A probable redshirt candidate because of the plethora of bodies in Notre Dame's defensive interior. THEY SAID IT Brian Kelly's Comments: "In that very good Cin‑ cinnati football area, talking to rival coaches, they said that when he was healthy he was not block‑ able. … We are bringing in a guy that not only is strong physically, but his get‑off is outstanding." Tom Lemming Of Prep Football Report: "He's a solid, steady ballplayer. He's not a great pass rusher, and he's not a super big guy yet, but I do think he's one of the more consistent defensive linemen in the Midwest." Moeller Head Coach John Rodenberg's Com- ments: "He's not a big talker, but definitely is a leader on the field and with his work ethic. We named him a captain. He was hobbled by a hamstring injury early on, but he overcame that and he finished off his senior year really strong. He's extremely quiet, not a big partyer, and very professional and intelligent. He understands what he needs to do, and he gets things done."