Interview: California 2018 Talent Levi Taylor Quietly a Top 10 National Statistical Quarterback

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Statistics can be a finicky piece of sports with fans, players, and coaches reading what they want into each number in a given column. For a high school player wanting to show college coaches what they are made of, when you have the gaudy stats that is a blessing. California always turns out top performers from the quarterback position with another in the long line being Levi Taylor.

Taylor truly had the quintessential breakout year during his junior campaign. With very modest stats after getting mop up duty behind a senior in 2015, Taylor exploded onto the scene slinging the ball around the yard for 3,866 yards with 44 touchdowns in 2016. Showing his dual-threat abilities, he also rushed for 677 more yards off 132 carries with a team-high 13 addition trips to the end zone on the ground.

From the outside looking in, Taylor’s impressive stat line was a big part of the reason why Silverado High School was able to turn a 6-5 season in 2015 to an 11-3 finish in 2016. All of Taylor’s accomplishments did not go unnoticed by area media and opposing high school coaches. When all was said and done, Taylor had filled a mantle with Silverado Offensive Player of the Year honors, All CIF-SS Offensive Player of the Year, All-Area first team Quarterback, Desert Sky League Offensive Player of the Year, and was a MaxPreps Football Player of the Week winner.

Gauging Taylor’s stat line against his peer group, MaxPreps has Taylor as the 10th most prolific Class of 2018 player in the country with 4,548 total yards gained. All of the accomplishments for the 6-0, 176 pound, playmaker, by and large, have gone unnoticed by college coaches thus far. With the exposure camp and college camp circuit heating up, Taylor has a great opportunity to show anyone and everyone in person just how talented he is in person.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with one of the most overlooked players in the 2018 class covering his junior season and off-season plans.

Interview

Levi, you had a big breakout season in 2016. Before you tore up the Desert Sky League as a junior, how did your sophomore season play out?

“I did not get in much. I played on JV (junior varsity) my sophomore year. I developed my passing on the run and being a dual-threat then. I improved a lot during my sophomore season. My freshman year, I was not too great of a quarterback.”

How did you prepare for your junior season?

“I was studying under my brother (Sam Taylor). He had set all the records at my school. I based my style of play off him and how he ran the offense. He was on the sidelines with me telling me how to read the defenses. He was a big help all year long and still is.”

Going into your junior year did you expect to have the kind of year that you did?

“No, not at all. I was surprising myself. I was really surprised with the honors during the season and at the end of the season. MaxPreps has me listed as No. 6 in that state for total yards among junior quarterbacks. My goal for the year was to win league and hopefully win a state championship. Next year I have bigger goals.”

What are your goals for the 2017 season?

“I want to go further in the playoffs and win a championship. I want us to go undefeated and I want to break all of my records from the year before.”

It looks like the Hawks run a spread offense with a lot of read-pass option. How does the offense fit your skill set?

“We run a lot of roll out passes. My coach always tells me, if you can’t see it and it is not open take off running and get as many yards as you can. Our o-line was great this year so we did not have to move the pocket. I can pass or run. The offense fits my skills well. We switched up some of the things from the year before to fit my skills that the coaches did with the previous quarterbacks.”

What are some of the strengths of your game in the pocket?

“I think dodging d-linemen, reading defenses, knowing where I am going pre-snap, and I knowing where I am going with the ball with my progressions. My brother taught me that. In our offense we have a lot of two-read plays. If nothing is there you go.”

What are some of your mechanical or technical strengths in the pocket?

“I’d like to say my footwork and my release. It is an over the top release. My release makes it hard for linemen to bat it down.”

What areas are you working on before your senior year?

“I’m working on my pocket movement, stepping up in the pocket instead of rolling out to avoid the rush. I’m working on getting the ball out in the pocket instead of outside of the pocket. I’m working on knowing different coverages. Some teams disguise their coverages from a Cover 4 and then roll into a Cover 3. I want to get better with recognizing that. We have new linemen coming in. I will work with them to help get them ready for the season. Two of my receivers graduated. We have new guys stepping up so I have been working with them. We have a solid receiving corps coming back. We should be very good again next season.”

Do you work with any QB coaches?

“I do. I used to work Ryan O’Hare, he coaches at Alabama A&M now. Me and my brother, we critique each other. We retained that information from Coach O’Hare and help each other get better. My head coach, Coach (Rafael) Ginorio, helps me out a lot. I go to a lot of camps and I have worked with Steve Clarkson and Next Level Athletix (Greg Holcomb). This weekend we are playing in a passing league, the Adidas Invitational in Los Angeles. Only 25 teams will be there. We will be there.”

Which 7v7 team are you with this year?

“M&D. The coaches on M&D help me out a lot too. There is a lot of competition in practice which helps me get better.”

What is your cumulative GPA?

“I have a 3.5 GPA.”

Have you taken the ACT or SAT yet?

“No. I have taken the PSAT.”

Last question, what drives passion for football?

“Last year had me going. My goal was to play in 16 games without losing. I want to win a ring. The other people around me that have their attitudes right, their passion helps drive me. Seeing my brother before me drives me. I want to follow in his footsteps and beat what he has done. Also, you can get a free college education for playing football. That motivates me quite a bit.”

Levi, thanks for your time today and good luck with your 7v7 tournament this weekend.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: Daily Press; No. 15 Levi Taylor finds a receiver downfield.

Photo credit: Los Osos High School; No. 15 Levi Taylor rolls out to pass.

Photo credit: Rob Kurth; No. 15 Levi Taylor pre-game warmups.