Raiders’ draft pick Trey Taylor: “Embraces every aspect of being a football player’

Air Force head coach speaks highly of rookie safety

Like most late-round draft picks who will be trying to make 53-man rosters, Las Vegas Raiders rookie Trey Taylor will be challenged during training camp this summer.

Yet, his college coach has no doubt that Taylor, who the Raiders selected in the seventh round after he won the Jim Thorpe Award (which goes to the nation’s best defensive back) will be mentally prepared for the NFL game.

“He is very poised and he is not going too have any problem (adjusting to the mental aspect of the NFL),” Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun told Silver and Black Pride in a phone interview Monday. “The size and speed of the NFL game is going to be an adjustment, the pre-snap alignments and mental aspects will not be an issue. He’s a faster learner and player who loves the game. He completely embraces every aspect of being a football player … He is someone who is very bright and he is an incredible teammate and is a first-class representative of whatever organization and he’s a really good football player, too.”

Taylor had a huge season in 2023, culminating with winning the Jim Thorpe Award. He was a first-team All-American. He allowed on touchdown in coverage all season and had three interceptions. He played at the East-West Shrine Game in 2024.

Taylor, who is a cousin of Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed, also had a strong 2022 season for the Falcons. He started 13 games and had a team high 69 tackles in 2022. He was named to the second-team All-Mountain West team. After not playing in 2019 and ‘20, Taylor started 10 games for Air Force in 2021 and had 62 tackles.

Calhoun said Taylor made great strides his junior season and exploded as a senior. Calhoun credits Taylor’s great communication and leadership skills as part of his transformation into a star player and thinks that will translate well to the NFL.

Taylor’s best chances of sticking on the 53-man roster early in his career will likely be as a special teams player. Calhoun knows he will embrace that reality.

“He wanted to be every special teams unit,” Calhoun said. “He just loves football … He is a remarkable human being. He is a trustworthy person who is incredibly dependable and a football player. I never lost a wink of sleep worrying about Trey.”

This sounds like a perfect player Raiders’ coach Antonio Pierce wants to be a part of his program.