Video Interview with Rockhurst High School and Wisconsin Badgers 2016 RB WR Commit AJ Taylor
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
The Wisconsin Badgers 2016 recruiting class is shy a few recruits with 22 verbal commitments but what the haul is not lacking thus far is talent. One of the many talented players ready to help the Badgers contend for a Big Ten title for years to come is Rockhurst running back/wide receiver A.J. Taylor.
The Badgers landed their prized Missouri recruit, regarded in some rankings listed as the top player in the “Show Me State”, in a unique way, via a Monopoly board. Taylor landed the game piece on the Badgers on August 1, and shut his recruiting process down from there despite double-digit offers from teams like Iowa, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Missouri, Maryland, Kansas State, Harvard, Nebraska, and Iowa State.
For college coaches scouting Taylor, what is there not to like? The 6’0”, 195 pound, recruit can do it all and did just that for the Hawklets during his high school career. Taylor had a breakout junior season coming up with 1,600 all-purpose yards with 16 touchdowns leading Rockhurst to a Missouri 6A runner-up finish going 12-2. The 2015 season did not go as planned but that did not stop Taylor from being a difference maker all over the field. Whether he was blocking kicks returning them for a touchdown, fielding a kickoff return for a touchdown, taking a handoff breaking one 60-plus yards, or hauling in a pass for a big score, there was no stopping Taylor in the open field with his blazing track speed.
Among the many honors rightfully coming Taylor’s way was being selected to play in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl. The 4-star recruit has been going through practices with the West squad in preparation for the big game airing on FOX Sports 1 on Jan. 3, at 9:00 p.m. ET.
In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I caught up with Taylor after the West squad’s Friday practice to get his thoughts on the high school all-star game and received a recruiting news update.
Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; A.J. Taylor