Rutgers football long snapper Billy Taylor was invited to the New York Jets rookie minicamp this upcoming weekend.
Billy Taylor is headed to New York Jets rookie minicamp this weekend, the former Rutgers football long snapper eager for an opportunity to prove himself.
An opportunity that will take place just minutes away in Morris County from where Taylor was a high school standout.
After the NFL draft had concluded this past Saturday, Taylor was on the phone with his agent talking about the options he had, with one of the options being the Jets. While on that call, the Jets called and offered him a chance to attend rookie minicamp. Nothing was guaranteed, but it was an opportunity.
He quickly accepted the chance to attend rookie minicamp, especially after having attended the Jets event for local college players prior to the draft. NFL teams frequently have an evaluation day for local college players within a certain geographic area to attend their facility and Taylor attended the event held by the Jets as well as one by the New York Giants.
The call and the rookie minicamp opportunity has Taylor looking to prove himself in front of the Jets higher-ups.
“I am very excited for it – I was hoping to sign an undrafted rookie free agent contract but unfortunately, that didn’t work out,” Taylor told RutgersWire on Tuesday.
“After getting to know the coaches at the local day, I was hoping I’d get another opportunity to work with them.”
As one of the best long snappers in the Big Ten over the past three seasons, Taylor isn’t short on experience, tying the Rutgers program record with 58 games played. He was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection (Phil Steele) in addition to being named to the 2021 Mannelly Award Watch List as the nation’s top long snapper.
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Having played his high school football for Parsippany Hills (Parsippany, N.J.) just minutes from the Jets facility in Florham Park, Taylor is excited about the rookie minicamp opportunity.
“I’m very thankful and I have realized the privilege I have because not many guys from the area get opportunities like this. The chance to play football so close to home means so much to me, just as it did at Rutgers,” Taylor said.
“I think the best way to put it is that it is really cool. My mom grew up in East Hanover which is right down the road from the facility and I’ve driven past their complex countless times. To be on the other side of the fence is definitely a crazy feeling.”
Taylor did his pro day training locally at TEST Football Academy, a facility based in central New Jersey. Taylor worked out with several of his former college teammates including defensive lineman and Mike Tverdov and defensive back Tre Avery at the facility. In addition, quarterback Kenny Pickett, a first round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, trained at the facility for the NFL combine and his pro day workout.
Avery, ironically, was supposed to attend Jets rookie minicamp but signed an undrafted rookie free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday. RutgersWire was the first to report the news of Avery’s contract.
The pre-draft experience was a positive one for Taylor. Famous alumni of TEST includes the like of All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Flacco among others.
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As for Taylor, his testing at his pro day in March puts him near an elite category with metrics comparable to former NFL long snappers Wes Farnsworth and Lucas Gravelle. He also had a solid week of performances at the East-West Shrine Bowl, an all-star game for college seniors.
Jets minicamp begins this Thursday and concludes on Saturday afternoon.
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