Roc Taylor
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{short description|American football player (born 2002)}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Roc Taylor
|currentteam=Pittsburgh Steelers
|number=81
|position=Wide receiver
|birth_date={{birth date and age|2002|9|26}}
|birth_place=Oxford, Alabama, U.S.
|height_ft=6
|height_in=2
|weight_lb=213
|high_school=Oxford
|college=Memphis (2021–2024)
|undraftedyear=2025
|pastteams=
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{nfly|2025}}–present)
|status=Active
|highlights=
}}
Roc Taylor (born September 26, 2002) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Memphis Tigers.
Early life and high school
Taylor attended Oxford High School in Oxford, Alabama. As a junior he recorded 71 receptions for 1,306 yards and 17 touchdowns, earning first-team Class 6A all-state honors.{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Ben |title=Auburn putting ‘full-court press’ on Tennessee wide receiver commit Roc Taylor |url=https://www.al.com/highschoolsports/2020/07/auburn-putting-full-court-press-on-tennessee-wide-receiver-commit-roc-taylor.html |website=AL.com |access-date=1 January 2025}} As a senior Taylor tallied 52 receptions for 1,014 yards and 17 touchdowns.{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Ben |title=Oxford wide receiver Roc Taylor commits to Memphis, 1 day after he was dropped by Vols |url=https://www.al.com/highschoolsports/2021/02/oxford-wide-receiver-roc-taylor-commits-to-memphis-1-after-he-was-dropped-by-vols.html |website=AL.com |access-date=1 January 2025}} Coming out of high school, he was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Tennessee Volunteers.{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Brandon |title=Analysis: Vols Getting Versatile Jumbo Athlete in Roc Taylor Commitment |url=https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/football/roc-taylor-analysis |work=Tennessee Volunteers on SI |publisher=SI.com |access-date=1 January 2025}} However after being committed for the Volunteers for over a year, after head coach Jeremy Pruitt was fired and new Tennessee coach Josh Heupel was brought in, Taylor's scholarship was pulled by the new coaching staff.{{cite web |last1=Toppmeyer |first1=Blake |title=High school coach says Vols pulled offer from Roc Taylor. 'It’s just really crappy' |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2021/02/03/coach-says-tennessee-vols-pulled-commitment-roc-taylor-its-just-really-crappy/4369259001/ |website=Knoxville News Sentinel |access-date=1 January 2025}} He subsequently committed to play for the Memphis Tigers.{{cite web |last1=Barnes |first1=Evan |title=Roc Taylor is Memphis football's highest-rated 2021 signee after Tennessee reportedly pulls offer |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/2021/02/03/roc-taylor-memphis-football-tennessee-vols-recruiting-2021/4372466001/ |website=The Commercial Appeal |access-date=1 January 2025}}
College career
In his first two collegiate seasons in 2021 and 2022, Taylor appeared in 18 games where he notched 28 receptions for 342 yards and a touchdown.{{cite web |last1=Fragoza |first1=James |title=2024 AAC WR Rankings: Memphis Has Conference’s Best Trio in Roc Taylor, Demeer Blankumsee, and Koby Drake |url=https://collegefootballnetwork.com/aac-wr-rankings/ |website=College Football Network |access-date=1 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Roc Taylor |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/roc-taylor-1.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=1 January 2025}} In the 2023 season opener, he tallied six receptions for 78 yards versus 2023 Bethune–Cookman.{{cite web |last1=Bonner II |first1=Frank |title=It’s Roc Taylor’s time to shine in his third year with the Tigers |url=https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/article/38356/university-of-memphis-tigers-football-roc-taylor-feature-college |website=The Daily Memphian |access-date=1 January 2025}} In week 4, Taylor recorded seven receptions for 143 yards against Missouri.{{cite web |last1=Dylan |first1=Jonah |title=Memphis football's Roc Taylor shows restraint in diet, not on the football field |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/2023/10/05/memphis-football-roc-taylor-wide-receiver-ryan-silverfield-oxford-keith-etheredge-seth-henigan/71007378007/ |website=The Commercial Appeal |access-date=1 January 2025}} In week 5, he hauled in five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown in a win over Boise State.{{cite web |last1=Buckley |first1=Tim |title=Buckley: Tigers had an ‘inexcusable, pedestrian start.’ Roc Taylor woke them up. |url=https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/article/38855/memphis-tigers-football-boise-state-roc-taylor |website=The Daily Memphian |access-date=1 January 2025}} Taylor finished the 2023 season with 69 catches for 1,083 yards and four touchdowns.{{cite web |last1=Dylan |first1=Jonah |title=How Rokafewlloa (Roc) Taylor lived up to his name during dynamic 4-year Memphis football career |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/2024/11/14/memphis-football-roc-taylor-rokafewlloa-tigers-seth-henigan-aac/76137235007/ |website=The Commercial Appeal |access-date=1 January 2025}}
In week 9 of the 2024 season, Taylor hauled in the game-winning 24 yard touchdown to help beat Charlotte.{{cite web |last1=Dylan |first1=Jonah |title=Roc Taylor's TD catch is all-time Memphis football moment, other overreactions from Charlotte win |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/2024/10/26/memphis-football-ryan-silverfield-tigers-seth-henigan-roc-taylor-aac/75734223007/ |website=The Commercial Appeal |access-date=1 January 2025}} In his final collegiate season in 2024, he notched 66 receptions for 950 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers.{{cite web |last1=Buckley |first1=Tim |title=Buckley: Roc Taylor wasn’t about to drop the pass that saved the day |url=https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/article/47433/memphis-tigers-football-roc-taylor-seth-henigan-buckley |website=The Daily Memphian |access-date=1 January 2025}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 1 7/8
| weight = 213
| dash = 4.49
| ten split = 1.53
| twenty split = 2.61
| vertical = 30.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 2
| arm span = 32 1/4
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/roc-taylor/32005441-5964-8195-9d6f-a126d9bf4629 |title=Roc Taylor Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 1, 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1053383&DraftYear=2025 |title=Roc Taylor College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 1, 2025}}
}}
Taylor signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent on April 26, 2025.{{cite web|title=Steelers agree to terms with free agents|url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-agree-to-terms-with-free-agents-x9953|website=Steelers.com|date=April 26, 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://gotigersgo.com/sports/football/roster/Roc-Taylor/11419 Memphis Tigers bio]
{{Pittsburgh Steelers roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Roc}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:American football wide receivers