Tag: Alex Taylor

Alex Taylor trying to recruit Jonathan Paylor to Carolina

UNC 4-star wide receiver commit Alex Taylor is trying to recruit fellow 4-star wideout Jonathan Paylor to Chapel Hill.

Grimsley High School wideout Alex Taylor announced his college commitment on Sunday, giving the UNC football team its sixth 4-star recruit in the Class of 2024.

Taylor is coming off a 65-reception, 1,034-yard, 12-touchdown season in which he helped the Whirlies advance to the NCSHAA 4A state champmionship, where they fell to New Bern.

With his commitment tucked away and senior season slated to kick off on Friday, Aug. 18, Taylor is trying to recruit fellow 4-star receiver Jonathan Paylor to Chapel Hill.

Paylor, the 4-star athlete from Cummings High School in Burlington, N.C., would give UNC one of the ACC’s most explosive offenses in two years.

In Paylor’s junior football season alone, he combined for 1,779 scrimmage yards and 22 touchdowns en route to helping Cummings to the third round of the NCHSAA 2A state playoffs. Over his first three years as a Cavalier, Paylor had 2,512 reeiving yards and 24 receiving touchdowns, plus 2,147 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns.

Paylor posted on his X account, formerly known as Twitter, that he would be moving his commitment back to Friday at 6 p.m.

N.C. State, Maryland and South Carolina are also in the mix for Paylor. Whichever school Paylor decides on is getting a heck of a player.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

 

Social media reacts to UNC landing four-star WR Alex Taylor

Here’s how social media reacted to UNC football landing a commitment from four-star wide receiver Alex Taylor.

The North Carolina Tar Heels continue to collect recruits like Thanos Stones after snagging a commitment from four-star wide receiver Alex Taylor.

Mack Brown’s second stint with UNC has been up and down. The on-field play has been questionable. However, recruiting has been the answer to what makes Brown’s return worth it.

Saturday proved Brown’s recruiting strengths once again after it was confirmed Taylor would be a Tar Heel. In a story picked up by On3, Taylor explained his decision to come to UNC.

“I just kept comparing North Carolina to other schools,” Taylor told On3. “I just kept talking to them, and on the official, it just felt like home being there with the other guys who were committed. It was just that feeling, and it was a great experience being around those guys.”

Taylor has been remarkable at Grimsley High School. Last year, during his Junior season, Taylor finished with 65 receptions for 1,034 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

Unsurprisingly, the commitment brought quite a reaction as fans discussed their excitement for the speedy recruit.

Let us look at how users on X, formerly known as Twitter, reacted to Taylor’s decision.

60 days until Browns season opener: 5 players to wear 60 in Cleveland

Browns football is exactly two months away

With exactly two months remaining until the season opener for the Cleveland Browns football is almost back. Over the history of the team, a total of 17 different players have worn the number 60. The first was Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham, before he later changed his number, in 1946.

Going into training camp offensive lineman Hunter Thedford will wear the number as he battles to try and make the 53-man roster. We continue our countdown and walk down memory lane as we look back at five players that have worn the number 60 for the Cleveland Browns during the regular season.

70 days until Browns season opener: 5 players to wear 70 for Cleveland

The have been a ton of players wear the number 70 in Cleveland.

The countdown is at 70 days remaining between now and the start of NFL football for the Cleveland Browns. 70 is one of the more often worn numbers in Browns’ history as a total of 32 different players have worn it for a regular season game for the franchise, most notably Kevin Zeitler.

One of the more memorable to wear it recently is Kendall Lamm who caught a touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield against the Titans in 2020. Another player to have worn it for the Browns is current Baltimore Ravens guard Kevin Zeitler who has also played for the Bengals. Let’s take a look at five players that have worn the number for the Browns over the years.

Clemson Crystal Ball tracker: Every 2024 recruit predicted to sign with Clemson

Things are heating up for the Tigers in the 2024 class. Here is a crystal ball tracker to keep you up to date.

Dabo Swinney and the Tigers reportedly had a superb recruiting weekend in Clemson, with a long list of top recruits attending and enjoying everything Clemson has to offer.

The Tigers’ strong showing this past weekend was massive for the program as a team that lives and dies with recruiting as others take advantage of the transfer portal, which has become a significant part of some programs’ roster development. Different strokes for different folks, Swinney and Clemson are good at what they do and stick to it.

We’ve seen recruiting success before, and after the weekend, it seems more to come as multiple top recruits have received crystal ball predictions over the past few days. With the activity, we decided to put together a tracker for these predictions. 

Here is Clemson Wire’s crystal ball tracker, with 247Sports composite rankings and site rankings for each recruit.

*Some committed recruits not listed

Updated 6/22

Vols offer 2024 wide receiver Alex Taylor

Tennessee football offers 2024 wide receiver Alex Taylor.

Third-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and his staff continue to recruit future Vols.

Heupel has compiled a 18-8 (10-6 SEC) record in two seasons as the Vols’ head coach. He was hired as Tennessee’s head coach in Jan. 2021.

Where Josh Heupel’s Tennessee offense ranks nationally in 2022

2022 early signing period: A look at Tennessee’s signees

The Vols offered 2024 wide receiver prospect Alex Taylor on Wednesday.

“Blessed to receive another offer from the University of Tennessee,” Taylor announced.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver prospect is from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Taylor has Power Five offers from the Vols, Clemson, Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Penn State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia.

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Auburn makes top 10 for 2024 4-star WR Alex Taylor

Auburn is looking to pry the talented pass catcher away from several local schools.

Auburn football received some good news on Christmas when four-star wideout [autotag]Alex Taylor[/autotag] included Auburn in his top 10.

The Greensboro, North Carolina, native has a final 10 of Auburn, Wake Forest, NC State, ECU, Clemson, Penn State, Missouri, West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.

He is the No. 41 wide receiver and No. 28 overall player in the 247Sports composite for the 2024 recruiting class. He is the No. 7 player from North Carolina.

The 6-foot-2, 178-pounder had an impressive junior season for Grimsley High School, catching 65 passes for 1,034 yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 games. He also recorded three interceptions as a defender.

Taylor was offered by Ike Hilliard and the previous coaching staff in September but he is clearly still interested in the Tigers. It will be interesting to see if Auburn’s new staff dials up the pursuit.

Auburn already has two commitments in the 2024 cycle, four-star quarterback Adrian Posse and four-star cornerback A’Mon Lane.

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Clemson made Tar Heel State receiver feel like a priority during visit

The wide receiver prospect who collected Clemson’s first offer at his position, when the Tigers began dispensing offers to class of 2024 recruits, was in attendance at Memorial Stadium for the NC State game last Saturday. Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) …

The wide receiver prospect who collected Clemson’s first offer at his position, when the Tigers began dispensing offers to class of 2024 recruits, was in attendance at Memorial Stadium for the NC State game last Saturday.

Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) four-star Alex Taylor made the trip to Tiger Town over the weekend with his father and godfather.

“Man, the atmosphere was amazing,” Taylor told The Clemson Insider in a phone interview. “I don’t know how much people went there, but it was super loud. Watching the team run down the hill, we was like right next to them. That was super exciting as well. I got to talk to Coach Swinney and Coach Grisham. It was a good day.”

“Definitely the crowd,” he said regarding what stood out about the atmosphere in Death Valley. “The crowd was super loud. If it wasn’t sold out, it was close to being sold out. All the seats were packed out. It was just a super loud atmosphere and very fun to be in.” 

While on campus, Taylor spent plenty of time with receivers coach Tyler Grisham, as well as Dabo Swinney.

What did it mean for Taylor to get a chance to speak with Clemson’s head coach?

“It was super exciting,”​​ Taylor said. “Growing up, seeing him as one of the Hall of Fame coaches and Clemson being a prestigious school, I was super excited to talk to him for a little bit. Just telling me that I’m one of the only 2024s they’ve offered. They’ve only offered me and Jonathan Paylor. So, that’s super exciting as well, just knowing that I’m on their radar and one of the priorities.”

As for Grisham, Taylor said that he couldn’t really say all that they talked about because it was a lot. They talked for over an hour as Taylor made sure to get down to Clemson on the earlier side.

“We was just talking about a lot of things,” Taylor recalled. “He made me feel like a priority. I kind of toured the campus with (former Clemson receiver and current graduate assistant) Artavis Scott. That was pretty exciting too, talking with him as well since he used to play there about four years ago. Speaking with him about how the recruiting process went with him and how he likes Clemson, now that he’s back with the coaching staff.”

While Taylor felt welcomed by the coaching staff, he was also in the presence of someone he’s become rather close with during the recruiting process. Taylor and Paylor, a four-star receiver out of Burlington (N.C.) Hugh M. Cummings High School made plans to attend the NC State game together and sat with one another during last Saturday’s contest. 

“It was super exciting, just me and him being from the 336 area code,” Taylor said. “We’re not too far away for him. Just putting on for N.C. is just super exciting for us…Being at the game with him and just having a lot of fun and really just sharing the recruiting process with him as well.”

Being a receiver himself, Taylor keyed in on the production that Clemson is getting out of that position. He said that he really liked offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter’s playcalling and how Clemson utilizes its receivers in its offense.

“First few weeks the offense started a little slow, but D.J.’s (Uiagalelei) is getting comfortable and the receivers are playing well,” Taylor said. “Antonio Williams, true freshman, he kind of broke out on the scene. I’ve talked to Adam Randall a little bit already and just him coming back…They give their receivers chances to make big plays just on that slant and go.”

While Grisham hasn’t yet told Taylor how Clemson would plan on using him at the next level, he said that when they get the chance, they’re gonna break down film and take a deep dive into the offense. 

Taylor imagines that’ll likely come after the season. Though, he’s trying to get to either the Miami game on Nov. 19 or the South Carolina game on Nov. 26.

Now that he got to experience his first gameday in The Valley, where does Clemson currently stand in Taylor’s recruitment?

“I don’t really have a list right now, but definitely one of my top schools,” he said. 

As far as his current recruitment is concerned, Taylor said that he’ll drop an offers and interest list after the season. Then, he’ll cut that down to about 10-12 teams in the spring and likely render a college decision next summer

In addition to Clemson, Taylor says that schools like Virginia Tech, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Michigan State and Florida State, have been coming after him the hardest Since Sept. 1, when college coaches could begin directly contacting juniors in the class of 2024 like himself.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Star-studded visitors headed to Death Valley for Clemson-N.C. State game

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. game against N.C. State at Death Valley. Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-N.C. State game: A couple of …

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. game against N.C. State at Death Valley.

Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-N.C. State game:

A couple of headliners among the recruits expected to be in attendance are a handful of five-stars in the 2024 and 2025 class, respectively. Jefferson (Ga.) linebacker Sammy Brown, Buford (Ga.) athlete KJ Bolden, Buford (Ga.) linebacker Jadon Perlotte and Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School offensive tackle David Sanders, Jr.

Sanders is the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class, per 247Sports, which tabs Bolden and Brown as the No. 1 safety and No. 1 linebacker, respectively, in the 2024 class. 

Clemson, of course, doesn’t offer recruits as young as Sanders, per the program’s policy. But the elite o-line prospect would love to add Clemson to his offer list in the future.

“That offer would mean the world to me,” he told The Clemson Insider back in May. “Clemson is definitely one of the schools that I like the most. So, that offer would mean the world. Knowing the coaches and them knowing my family, that just means even more. And then getting back down there and building that relationship with Coach Swinney and Coach Austin, it would just be great.”

Saturday will be of relative importance for Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin, as Clemson is set to host two of the Palmetto State’s top prospects in Woodland (Dorchester, S.C.) four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle and Dillon (S.C.) four-star offensive tackle Josiah Thompson.

The 247Sports Composite considers Pringle and Thompson to be interchangeable Nos. 1 and 2 in the rankings.

Additionally, Greenville (S.C.) High School four-star Blake Franks is planning to attend Saturday’s game. Franks (6-5, 310) participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp this summer and visited Clemson multiple times since this past March. He received an offer from Clemson in late July.

He has heard from Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin and other members of the Tigers’ staff since the calendar turned to Sept. 1, when college coaches across the country could begin directly contacting junior prospects in the class of 2024.

“He (Austin) told me I’m a big priority,” Franks said to TCI recently, “and that he’s going to come to one of our games this year.”

Franks holds more than a dozen scholarship offers, including offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Penn State and South Carolina along with Clemson.

He told TCI earlier this month that while he didn’t know at the time which schools comprise his top five, he definitely thinks Clemson “is high up there” on his list.

Perhaps the most intriguing prospect on the offensive side of the football that will be in The Valley this Saturday is Savannah (Ga.) Calvary Day School 2024 four-star quarterback Jake Merklinger. 

The top-100 national recruit and the No. 9 ranked quarterback in the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite rankings, has made three trips to Clemson in the last calendar year. While he hasn’t yet boasted an offer from the Tigers, he is firmly on their radar and moved up their recruiting board after his performance at Swinney Camp earlier this summer.

A couple of big-time receiver prospects are expected to be on hand as well in Burlington (N.C.) Hugh M. Cummings four-star Jonathan Paylor, Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) four-star Alex Taylor,  Cass (Cartersville, Ga.) four-star Sacovie White and King George (Va.) three-star Mekhai White.

The Clemson Insider originally reported that Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas four-star James Madison II would be in attendance, but his status for Saturday’s game is currently unknown with Hurricane Ian lashing through Florida.

Clemson will also play host to Perry (Ga.) Dakari Anderson, an intriguing receiver prospect in the class of 2024, holds a lone offer from Texas A&M. 

Carrollton (Ga.) 2024 four-star tight end Caleb Odom announced that he will be in The Valley this weekend. Odom, who is considered to be a top-15 tight end in his class by the 247Sports Composite rankings, told The Clemson Insider back in August that he had been invited to some camps, but there was no hard interest from the Tigers just yet.

That appears to have changed as Odom, who will be at Saturday’s contest versus N.C. State, said that this weekend is “gonna be crazy.”

Switching over to the defensive side of the football, one of the top defensive back prospects planning to visit Clemson for Saturday’s game is Tavoy Feagin, a four-star cornerback from Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, Fla.

Feagin, a 6-foot, 170-pound junior, was the first player at his position to receive an offer from Clemson when the Tigers began dispensing offers to class of 2024 recruits back on June 1.

After traveling to Clemson for an unofficial visit in early March, Feagin made his way back to campus on June 2. Later in June, he included the Tigers among his top 10 schools, along with Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, North Carolina, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

“The reason why I put Clemson in my top 10 was because I really like the coaching staff and the atmosphere,” he said to TCI after dropping the list.

Feagin is ranked as high as the No. 73 overall prospect in the 2024 class by 247Sports.

The other top defensive back prospect that will be in attendance is Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith four-star cornerback Asaad Brown.

Brown — ranked as the nation’s No. 9 cornerback and No. 116 overall prospect in the class of 2024 by 247Sports — dropped a top-10 list earlier this month featuring Clemson along with Arkansas, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, LSU, Florida State, North Carolina, NC State and Penn State.

Among other notable recruits on Clemson’s anticipated guest list for Saturday’s game are Central (S.C.) D W Daniel 2023 wide receiver Jaylen Brown-Wallace, Lawrenceville (Ga.) 2024 four-star defensive lineman Justin Greene, Buford (Ga.) 2024 four-star defensive end KingJoseph Edwards, Chattanooga (Tenn.) Christian School 2024 four-star athlete Boo Carter, Pike Road (Ala.) 2024 four-star defensive lineman Malik Blocton, Taylor (Katy, TX.) 2024 three-star tight end Ian Flynt, Ponte Vedra (Fla.) 2024 three-star offensive lineman Jake Guarnera, Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) kicker Nolan Hauser, Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.) 2024 RB Turbo Richard, Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian Academy 2025 four-star running back Gideon Davidson, 2025 Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Georgia) School 2025 tight end Marshall Pritchett, Buford (Ga.) 2026 defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright and Cass (Cartersville, Ga.) 2026 quarterback Brodie McWhorter.

Clemson 2023 quarterback commitment Christopher Vizzina of Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christin School, offensive line commit Harris Sewell of Permian (Odessa, TX.), defensive end commit AJ Hoffler of College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy, linebacker commit Jamal Anderson of Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek and offensive line commit Ian Reed of Vandegrift (Austin, TX.) will also be in The Valley on Saturday.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Cleveland Browns terminate OT Alex Taylor from Practice Squad

The Cleveland Browns have opened a spot on their practice squad by terminating the contract of Alex Taylor.

The Cleveland Browns have terminated the contract of practice squad offensive tackle Alex Taylor. The former South Carolina State offensive tackle has been on and off of the active roster and practice squad over the past two seasons but has not found a way to be a mainstay on the team.

A converted basketball player, his athletic upside of Taylor has always been his calling card. However, still working on adding meat to his frame, Taylor has just not proven himself worthy of a 53-man roster spot through three training camps with the Browns. Even with two roster spots opening due to Chase Winovich and Jesse James landing on Injured Reserve, a promotion was not in the cards for Taylor.

As in the past, the Browns have never been shy of bringing him back, but for now he has been released from the Practice Squad.

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