The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/787035
MARCH 2017 THE WOLVERINE 89 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE MEASURABLES • At Nike's The Opening regional camp in Atlanta in 2015, Taylor recorded a 4.30-sec- ond 20-yard shuttle and recorded a 32.8- inch vertical jump. • As a junior, Taylor was able to squat 605 pounds, bench press 400 pounds and power clean 320 pounds. He also leg presses 900 pounds. STATISTICS • Carried the ball 191 times for 930 yards (4.9 yards a rush) and 14 touchdowns as a senior at Grayson High, after transferring from Covington (Ga.) Newton High. Taylor also had 21 catches for 332 yards and five touchdowns for the Class 7A state champi- ons; that is the state's largest classification. • As a junior at Newton, Taylor rushed the ball 240 times for 1,631 yards (6.8 per carry) and 22 touchdowns. • During his sophomore year, he ran for 462 yards and four touchdowns. HONORS • Earned 6A first-team all-region honors as a junior at New- ton. • Was named the top running back at a Florida State camp in 2015. • Took home the MVP and top running back award at the MVP Camp in Atlanta prior to his junior season. • Was a top-10 performer at the University of Georgia's Dawg Night in 2015. • Earned an invite to the U.S. Army All-American National Combine in 2015. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played in the Polynesian Bowl, Jan. 21, and was the only player from Georgia invited. • Was invited to the Offense-Defense Bowl in Atlanta but opted not to attend. • Participated in Georgia Rising Seniors Bowl in 2015. • Attended Rivals Camp Series Atlanta in 2015. • Attended 2014 National Underclassmen Top Prospect Camp and came away with the running back MVP award. RECRUITMENT • Committed Oct. 16, 2015. • Michigan offered Taylor early and he jumped all over it. Despite U-M's pursuit of many other running back targets, Taylor never wavered. • He chose Michigan over schools like Kentucky, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Rutgers and Vanderbilt. • Head coach Jim Harbaugh was the main coach involved in Taylor's recruitment with assistance from former running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley. NOTABLE • Born May 9, 1998. • Father was a 5-9 point guard at Hawai'i and played eight years profes- sionally. He had stints overseas as well as in the United States Basketball League and NBA Summer League. • As a junior, Taylor was Newton's first 1,000-yard rusher in 15 years. 2017 PROJECTION Taylor lacks the burst you'd like to see in a Michigan running back, but Jim Har- baugh latched onto him and they've been together ever since. He's strong, tough and certainly works hard, but it's unclear if he has much room to develop physically. With a young stable of run- ning backs, Taylor won't need to play in 2017. THEY SAID IT Rivals.com Southeast Recruiting Analyst Woody Wommack: "He's got a solid build, and he really looks the part. He's a tough runner. In Harbaugh's system, he can get them those tough yards they're looking for, and he fits into the system. " They see something that they really like in him. He doesn't have that suddenness you look for in a big-time running back. I'd like to see more of that explosion, and I think that'll come. He's got a ton of muscle, and he's really built well. "Sometimes when guys are a little lighter they can move quicker. If Michigan wants a bowling-ball guy though, he fits it." Newton (Ga.) High Head Coach Terrance Banks: "Michi- gan is getting a kid that is far from a finished product. People see his size and his build and think he's maxed out, but he still can get so much better. I know he'll get better because he's such a hard worker. "He's a downhill runner, and I think he'll fit in great with the style of play that Coach [Jim] Harbaugh has at Michigan. Kurt is a power back — he's a throwback guy. He doesn't shy away from contact. I just think he's going to learn so much more and work so hard that he'll never stop getting better." Running Backs Coach Jay Harbaugh: "Kurt is a player who has us excited because of his well-roundedness. He can do a little bit of everything. He's very well put together and well built. He can run inside or outside and get to the edge, and he has the frame and power to be a strong pass blocker as well. Kurt's big strength is that he has a lot of power. He also has vision that, when put into action in combination with his other positive traits, leads him to take advantages of angles and rack up a lot of yards after contact." KURT TAYLOR RUNNING BACK 5-8 • 197 GRAYSON H.S. LOGANVILLE, GA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ — — — ✪ ✪ ✪ — 65 81 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 51 90 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 56 87 RIVALS.COM SOUTHEAST RECRUITING ANALYST WOODY WOMMACK "In Harbaugh's system, he can get them those tough yards they're looking for, and he fits into the system." Taylor comes from an athletic family, including a father who played basketball in college and professionally overseas and in the NBA Summer League. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM