Prospect Analysis...Cooper Taylor

MustangGT

Flats Noob
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
603
Cooper Taylor
S | 6'4" 175

Hometown: Atlanta, GA
School: MaristSchool

ESPN Grade 77

Evaluation: Taylor is a safety prospect who could slide down to outside backer with continued physical development. He currently possesses a lanky frame that he should grow into. He will enter college with better skills as a pass defender than run supporter. He shows the route and coverage awareness you would expect from a quarterback and consistently positions himself correctly, reads the field well, and keeps passes in front of him. Cooper flashes good timing and a quick break on the throw and does a nice job of utilizing his long body to separate the ball from the receiver. Overall coverage range is adequate-to-good and he masks his marginal burst off the hash with his long stride. However, I question his recovery speed, transition quickness and ability to turn and run with Division 1 receivers. Cooper might be best as a centerfield safety at the next level that can roam and react to underneath routes. With that said, Taylor will be a sound college safety who consistently positions himself and the entire defense correctly while making plays with his good instincts and athleticism. Again if his body explodes with a college weight-training program, and he adds good physicality to his game, linebacker could be a possibility.

I am pleasantly surprised that ESPN ranked Cooper as high as they did. For those who are not familiar with the ESPN ranking system, a 77 is a very good grade. A grade of 77 puts Cooper in the same company as players like Josh Nesbitt, Willie White, Logan Walls, and Steven Sylvester…Not bad company to say the least. Cooper will be a good edition to our team and look forward to seeing him in White and Gold.
 
Think Jeremy Muyres

I am hoping he is better. Jeremy is a full one step back from what we have had at the S position (both) the last 5 years (our SS and FS aren't true FS and SS, we rotate the two alot...)

Butler -> NFL
Landry -> NFL
Lewis -> will be NFL
Jones -> could be NFL but better than Jeremy IMO

Jeremy was a good kid, but missed a boat load of tackles and made a lot too; but was never good in pass coverage. We got torched deep so often b/c our S were out of position or not athletic enough to hang with the WRs or TE.

My point is...I just hope coop is better.
 
I am hoping he is better. Jeremy is a full one step back from what we have had at the S position (both) the last 5 years (our SS and FS aren't true FS and SS, we rotate the two alot...)

Butler -> NFL
Landry -> NFL
Lewis -> will be NFL
Jones -> could be NFL but better than Jeremy IMO

Jeremy was a good kid, but missed a boat load of tackles and made a lot too; but was never good in pass coverage. We got torched deep so often b/c our S were out of position or not athletic enough to hang with the WRs or TE.

My point is...I just hope coop is better.

In all fairness, our front seven did not put even close to the amount of pressure on the QB that our defense has in more recent years. Maybe one DE here or there...but not from anyone amongst the front 7.
 
In all fairness, our front seven did not put even close to the amount of pressure on the QB that our defense has in more recent years. Maybe one DE here or there...but not from anyone amongst the front 7.

OK fine, but the front 7 had nothing to do with those 3 being NFL players; of which they are. No matter how bad or good Muyres's front 7 was...he isn't and wasn't an NFL player.

My point is...I hope coop is on par with our NFL caliber S, and better than Muyres...otherwise IMO we are taking a step back at the position. Again, I know our front 7 helps with stuff like length of coverage etc etc...but has nothing to do with talent at that position.

By ranking, guys like Donley (if he ends up at S), Burnett amongst others seem to carry that high level talent we have had (of course they have to show it on the field...just saying by reputation). I am hoping Coop is up there with them, and from my standpoint his game and build looks alot more like James Butlers out of high school than Muyres....based on film and camps i have seen on him vs JB for 4 years in practice and games. (long striders, sneaky quick, better in pass covg than run support, thin, 4.45/4.5 guys with good verts)
 
I'd happily take a Muyres clone. There are most definitely some big plays I remember him making in coverage.
 
I'd happily take a Muyres clone. There are most definitely some big plays I remember him making in coverage.

Me too...I remember Muyres being pretty good. A three time All-ACC performer couldn't have been that bad.
 
33jacket...I would not worry about it because Morgan Burnett will likely be the starter at FS in 2008 and the next 2-3 years after that.
 
My recollection was that Muyres was the lone bright spot in a series of piss-poor secondarys.
 
Jeremy Muyres (6-3, 205, 4.5)

- Named All-ACC three times
- One of only three Yellow Jackets to be named All-ACC three times.
- Named Academic All-ACC three times
- Started 46 straight games
- 4-year starter
- 7th on All-Time GT interception list
- GT's career leader in tackles by a DB with 273...breaking Ken Swillings record of 267.
- AJC Super 11 in Georgia out of high school
 
I would think more of a Mike Dee type than a Jeremy Muyres type. Serviceable athlete but will need to put on a bunch of lbs. to be a serious D1 player. We can afford to bring him along slowly so well worth betting on long term potential here.

Go Jackets!
 
My recollection was that Muyres was the lone bright spot in a series of piss-poor secondarys.


Knox, I don't agree with you on many things........but you're RIGHT ON about Muyres.

As to Cooper Taylor, give the kid time to GROW UP.......and then see what he does.

Way too early to anoint or condemn him.
 
My recollection was that Muyres was the lone bright spot in a series of piss-poor secondarys.

Agreed... we would have blown a lot more third and 18s if it hadn't been for Jeremy. Wasn't he leading the nation in interceptions or something like that in 2000?
 
Knox, I don't agree with you on many things........but you're RIGHT ON about Muyres.

As to Cooper Taylor, give the kid time to GROW UP.......and then see what he does.

Way too early to anoint or condemn him.

Yet again you all are missing my point. He was a good NCAA S. He wasn't NFL material like our recent S's. Therefore he would be a step back to what we have had the last few years.

Oh BTW, when JM played in the ACC there were 3 maybe 4 good teams. GT, FSU, clemson was up and down and UVA.

Now, the talent pool for all-acc is so deep; to me all-acc back then means little compared to now.

How many of you think JM would be all-acc today if he played? Heck, he wouldn't even start on our team....

Point is...he is a full step back in talent than what we have now, and I for one hope Coop is better than JM; and personally I believe he is more athletic.

Its also funny b/c he is white, you all compare him to the two white FS at GT the last 10 years. Despite his speed, build and frame is identical to JB coming out of high school. I have seen him play...he looks more like JB than Dee or Muyres; and that is the comparison I would maintain.
 
33jacket...I would not worry about it because Morgan Burnett will likely be the starter at FS in 2008 and the next 2-3 years after that.

Not worried. I like coop; my point is I hope he is better than Muyres and from what I have seen he is more like JB than JM....but again...we can only compare him to JM or MD b/c he is white.

:laugher::laugher:
 
Mike Dee was white but he was also tall and lanky much like Cooper appears to be. I don't think physically you could compare Cooper to the others quite as well. That was my point of reference.

Go Jackets!
 
Back
Top