Shield Taylor commitment gives Cardinal versatile backfield player
Shield Taylor's star has been rising the past couple months and he has decided to land at Stanford.
He announced his commitment Friday over finalists UCLA, Virginia, Duke and Washington. Taylor was recently admitted to Stanford University.
"I decided to commit to Stanford after I was accepted," Taylor said in a message to Cardinal Sports Report. "They have everything I could possibly ask for and more. Their coaching staff speaks of such a bright future for me and that’s exactly what I want for my family and for myself. I want to be the best and Stanford is the place that will help me get there."
Taylor was not able to visit Stanford in person because of the restrictions in place to combat the spread of COVID-19. However, a virtual visit about a month ago was important for Shield and his mother to answer some final questions.
It can be a big leap for a parent to send their kid across the country, now more than ever.
"There was a lot of things that were directed to my mom which I greatly appreciated," Taylor said after the visit. "It was mainly the programs of how they would help me and the environment I would be in, such as injury prevention programs. I think it made her more comfortable with me going far away."
For Taylor, he is certain he found the right place for him.
"It is the exact place I’ve always dreamed of playing for as a kid and the virtual visits helped instill that for me once again.
"I was ecstatic when I got accepted and also very relieved. My family, friends, and mentor helped me with it a great deal and knew how much it meant to me when I was accepted. They were all very excited to hear that I had chosen to commit to Stanford and I can only hope that they are proud of me. I know that Stanford is the place they want me to go."
Taylor has already started building a relationship with his future quarterback, Ari Patu. Taylor is the second offensive player to commit to the class. He has been recruited by Ron Gould to be a "utility player" of sorts -- tight end/H-back/fullback.
Up to this point in Taylor's career he has mostly been a blocker out of the backfield and a growing number of programs saw his potential to be a tight end. Some college coaches asked Taylor to send video of him running routes and catching passes this spring, but for Gould and Stanford they were won over by his physicality in his junior season videos.
“One thing I really liked about Stanford is … they saw my potential in the film and they immediately saw ways they could use me. That made me feel good. It made me feel welcomed. They didn’t ask for any more film of me running around catching the ball. That was really comforting.”