The first shocking New Orleans Saints pick of the 2022 NFL draft came in the second round when they selected former Tennessee Volunteers cornerback Alontae Taylor. He brings versatility to the secondary and offers a ton of potential for immediate special teams impact. No one really knows how the Saints plan to use him, but there is actually a lot to be excited about on paper.
Since a lot of people are unaware about just who the 23-year old from Manchester, Tenn. is; here are five things we think fans should know about who Taylor is on and off the field:
1
Defensive back was not an obivious choice for him coming out of high school
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Taylor was an accomplished quarterback in high school at Coffee County Central High school in Manchester, TN. He had 8,225 yards of total offense and 75 total touchdowns. He came out of high school being recruited as a receiver, however. He received offers from major schools like Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Florida, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. He was even given an offer by Tulane. Ultimately, he decided to stay home and go to Tennessee, where he would switch to defensive back during his first spring there. That caught on quickly as he became Tennessee’s first freshman starting cornerback in five years.
2
His late grandmother is his biggest motivation
On Tennessee’s website, he lists his late-grandmother Ginger Irene Burnett Reese as his biggest motivator. That was backed up by his heart-warming draft video, where you can see him kiss a picture of his grandmother after being selected by the New Orleans Saints.
3
He seems to be a very high character person, off the field
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The three time All-SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient was also named as the vice chair of the SEC Football Leadership…
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