Colorado Buffaloes Most Important Players: #8 Davion Taylor

One position the Colorado Buffaloes could use another playmaker at next season is at linebacker, and a player who could help that cause in defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot’s second season is Davion Taylor.

The four-star athlete transferred from Coahoma C.C. (Clarksdale, Miss.) as the top outside linebacker and ninth overall JUCO prospect in the nation. Taylor has yet to step on the football field for a game in a Buffs uniform, but is already drawing attention with a top 100-meter dash time of 10.51 — the fastest time at CU in five years — that earned him All-Pac-12 track and field honors. He originally walked-on to the football program at Coahoma and he quickly racked up a total of 87 tackles, three pass breakups and one interception last year. He also qualified for the NFCAA Track and Field Championship in the 100-and 200-meter dashes as a freshman in 2016.

Besides being a freak athlete, Taylor prides himself in his ability to be a difference maker in any situation he’s thrown into on the field; thus the reason why the speedy dual-sport athlete earned praise from writer Bruce Feldman by ranking him No. 22 on his list of top 50 freaks in college football. Eliot will utilize Taylor at the Buff backer position in a majority of defensive packages to contain and seal the edge. It’s not hard to do that at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, especially for a player like Taylor who could excel in the hybrid role. Pairing Taylor with a shutdown secondary group of Trey Udoffia, Dante Wigley, Chris Miller and Evan Worthington gives the Buffs a solid pass defense to challenge any Pac-12 offense.

One of the reasons why Taylor came to Colorado over three SEC schools was for the opportunity to emerge as the next Buff Backer. According to CUBuffs.com writer Neill Woelk, coaches are excited to see Taylor’s progress in fall camp saying, “In short, Taylor has been everywhere—which is exactly where the CU coaching staff wants him to be. Their only ‘problem’ is figuring out how to best utilize his considerable athletic ability.”

Nearly the same scenario Michigan had a couple years ago with Jabrill Peppers—too talented to stick at one position and will be tried at many to see what works out the best. Don’t rule Taylor out as a dark horse kick returner for the Buffs as well— making him one of the most valuable players to Colorado’s success in 2018.