Taylor not afraid to take hit to prove recruiters wrong
MIDWEST CITY — Fear overwhelmed Dadrion Taylor the first time he carried the football.
He was a scrawny kid in fourth grade — playing with fifth graders, too — and absolutely unprepared for what was coming his way in a bigger, older opponent. So, Taylor headed straight for the sideline. As he crossed the white line, he threw the ball away.
“It was bad,” Taylor said as he shook his head in disbelief.
Fear won out, but only this time.
Taylor wanted to just quit, but his father wouldn’t allow it. Quitting was never an option. Taylor remained on the team and worked.
Now, it’s tough to get him to run to the sideline.
Taylor developed into a star running back at Carl Albert, a big playmaker capable of running over opponents despite not being the biggest player.
“I’ve come a long way,” Taylor said. “I’ve really been working on my craft and appreciating the talent God gave me.
“I’m all for (taking hits) now. Nothing holds me back. If I see a linebacker, he’s my target. My goal is when I go through any inside hole if there’s anybody in front of me and they don’t move that’s bad on them.”
Taylor’s speed earned him the nickname “Rabbit” early in his life. His toughness has since earned him eight scholarship offers, including Army, Navy, Missouri State and Western Illinois. Taylor is ranked No. 19 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 rankings of the state’s top recruits in the 2019 class.
A big season could land even bigger scholarship chances, but he first must convince recruiters to look past his 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame. They want him to be heavier. He’s working to change that, having gained 10 pounds since December by eating 5,000-6,000 calories per day.
“I just want to go to college and play football,” Taylor said. “I don’t care about being on ESPN 100 or anything like that. I just want to go to college and play football.
“Yeah, I’m small but if you watch me, I run way bigger than what I am. If they get me in their program, they can put the weight on me they want. Then that’s just a better athlete that they’re getting.”
Taylor’s athleticism comes natural. His mom was at track star at Lawton MacArthur before she became pregnant her senior year with Taylor’s older brother, who later became a football star at Davis High School.
Taylor’s older brother’s career ended with an injury, though. He wasn’t going to follow the same path, even after a foot injury cost him most of the 2016 state championship game.
Taylor returned last season and rushed for 1,977 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging 9.2 yards per carry. He was a stronger, more improved version.
He rarely shied from a hit, too.
“I think the thing that Coach (Cameron) Couch has brought out him in the last year is toughness finishing runs,” Carl Albert head coach Mike Corley said. “There’s times I wish he would try to outmaneuver them as opposed to try to run over somebody. He’s not afraid to finish that run.”