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Trent Taylor - Wide Receiver, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
HEIGHT: 5’8”
WEIGHT: 181 lbs
ARM LENGTH: 28 3/4”
HANDS: 8 1/4”
PROJECTED ROUND: Fifth
40 YD DASH (NFL Combine): 4.63 s
BENCH PRESS (NFL Combine): 13 reps
VERTICAL (NFL Combine): 33.0”
BROAD JUMP (NFL Combine): 117.0”
3 CONE DRILL (NFL Combine): 6.74 s
20 YD SHUTTLE (NFL Combine): 4.01 s
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ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS: Taylor always seems to find a way to get open. He’s been La Tech’s leading receiver for the past three straight years. After recording 99 catches in 2015, he showed out in 2016, catching 136 passes. His 1803 receiving yards was the best in the nation, as well. He is adept at finding the hole in the zone coverage, but he can also make tacklers miss in the open field. He has very good instincts and rarely drops passes. He isn’t afraid to be aggressive with defenders.
WEAKNESSES: He is smaller than most teams want from a receiver. His short arms could be a liability against longer defensive backs, and requires more accuracy from the quarterback. He could stand to work on his route-running speed, as well. Lastly, he has seven career fumbles. Ball control is an area for improvement.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Trent Taylor’s biggest knock has always been his size. This was a major reason that he only received one FBS offer. However, Louisiana Tech took the risk and it has more than paid off as Trent Taylor surpassed Biletnikoff winner Troy Edwards for the school record for career receptions. Some have drawn comparisons to Wes Welker, although a few have scoffed at that idea. Still, if an NFL team is willing to take the risk, they could very well reap a similar reward. Expect his size to drop him to later rounds, but his production should be enough for a team to take a chance on him, and that’s all he’s asking for.