Video Interview with Gonzaga Prep 2017 LB Taj Hoard at UCLA

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Gonzaga Prep was one of the elite teams in the nation during the 2015 season finishing the year 14-0 ranked No. 2 in the state of Washington by MaxPreps when all was said and done on the field. The Bullpups perhaps had their toughest game of the season in Game No. 2 against Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma) squeezing out a 34-28 overtime win. The tough game verses Bellarmine Prep was also the most points the Bullpups gave up all year.

The Bullpups had a lot of talent on defense forming into a stingy and swarming unit only allowing on average 12.7 points per game for the season. One of the bell ringers on the team was Class of 2017 linebacker Taj Hoard. Hoard filled it up on the inside and outside but proved to be a destructive force in the opposition’s backfield tallying 30 tackles for a loss, 14.5 sacks, 20 quarterback hits, and 15 quarterback hurries. Overall Hoard racked up 115 tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles, and had five fumble recoveries.

The highly productive 6’0”, 220 pound, run stopper has matched his energy on the field with visits off the field shoring up interest from next level recruiters at all levels. In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I met up with Hoard after a tour of the UCLA Bruins campus to get a rundown on his junior season, his unofficial visits, and potential one-day college camp stops with a little help from Gonzaga Prep teammate Armani Marsh.

Taj Hoard’s 2017 Highlight Reel

Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; Taj Hoard at UCLA.