In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, nothing is ever certain. Players follow the money, fame and recognition in hopes of making it to the NFL. A college roster can be flipped in one offseason, and the developmental approach to football of the past is becoming less viable by the year. A player who stays loyal to one school for an entire four years has become a rarity.
CJ Taylor is that rarity.
Vanderbilt’s star safety and team captain has remained devoted to head coach Clark Lea throughout his entire college career. He’s never backed down from the challenge of rebuilding the program.
“I would say that loyalty was shown to me, so I returned the favor,” Taylor told The Hustler. “Obviously, I could have [gone] into the portal and sought whatever I wanted, but I want to build something here with coach Lea. I believe in what he has planned, and like you’ve seen against Virginia Tech, that was the surface level of what we can be. I’m glad I stayed, and I’m glad that I’m a part of something that’s going to be special.”
Now in his fourth season with the Commodores, Taylor is ready to make his impact on and off the field. After an upset win over Virginia Tech and a convincing victory over Alcorn State, the Commodores are set on shocking the world and proving the doubters wrong.
“I’m ready to prove something to everybody, and that’s what our whole team is about,” Taylor said. “We want to prove everybody wrong. We want to answer all the questions that everybody has about us.”
Diamond to gridiron
Like many great athletes, Taylor didn’t grow up playing one sport. In fact, baseball was his first love.
“Originally, my dad put me in baseball and that was my favorite sport growing up,” Taylor said.
His foray into baseball didn’t last long, as Taylor’s father, Chad, saw a potential star in him. His quick twitch muscle movements, raw athleticism and innate football instincts were giveaways. It wasn’t long until Taylor found his second love: football.
“I was always a rough, aggressive kid growing up so my dad put me in football, and ever since I started playing, I’ve always loved the aspect of tackling and stuff like that,” Taylor said. “That’s [why] I play defense now.”
When he entered high school, he only had one goal in mind — to play football in college. Early in his career, Taylor played wherever he was needed on the field, and at first, that meant quarterback at Warren County High School. As he grew older, though, his coach saw his potential on both sides of the ball. Taylor played quarterback and defense during his junior and senior seasons and helped his team earn its first-ever winning season in almost 30 years. Those two years showed Taylor and his coaches that his time at the next level of football would center around defense.
“Growing up, I thought I was gonna be an offensive player,” Taylor said. “I was good with the ball in my hands. Obviously, that translated over to defense in college because I’m physical, aggressive and I have a knack for the ball. I have some pretty good instincts, so that’s why I’m good on defense.”
Hailing from the small town of McMinnville, Tenn., Taylor knew that athletics was his ticket to higher education.
“I know I’m really talented at football, and I knew that was my way out growing up,” Taylor said. “I knew that was my way to get my education paid for.”
Unfortunately for Taylor, his college recruitment process was during the COVID-19 pandemic. He didn’t receive the attention he deserved from recruiters and was initially only offered a few scholarships. Still, he kept his head down and kept grinding, and soon enough, Taylor accumulated offers from Mississippi State, Tennessee Tech and more. He finally made his decision on Nov. 23, when he agreed to play at Vanderbilt under then head coach Derek Mason.
That plan didn’t last long, as Mason was fired just a week after Taylor committed. The high school senior began to question the state of the program he would soon be entering. With pressure coming from Tennessee to flip his commitment, his relationship with Vanderbilt Football general manager Barton Simmons ultimately kept Taylor committed to the Black and Gold.
“Barton [Simmons], who is the [general manager] here, was working at 247 [Sports] when I was in high school, and he had made me an account because I didn’t have any offers until my senior year of high school,” Taylor said. “I wasn’t going to come to Vanderbilt at first, and then I committed to Derek Mason. But then he got fired and I was like, ‘I’m committed to a team that has no coach.’ Coach Lea said I’m excited to have you here, and Barton [Simmons is] coming along. That drew me here. Whenever I found out that Barton [Simmons] was coming, it was a no-brainer.”
Despite his hard work on the field, Taylor knows he couldn’t have found success on his own. His mother worked as a general manager at a fast-food restaurant and always pushed her children to be their best selves. From his mom driving him to practice to backyard football drills with his siblings, Taylor believes the people around him made him into the player he is today.
“My mom always got me back and forth to practice. My siblings always worked with me, so I guess they inspire me a lot to continue playing football,” Taylor said.
‘Dore days
Taylor has shined on West End since making the bold decision to stick with the Commodores. After seeing limited snaps as a first-year, he played in all 12 games as a sophomore. He totaled 59 tackles, seven of which were for a loss, and returned two fumbles for touchdowns. This was just the beginning for Taylor, as the accolades came pouring in after his junior season. He earned Fourth-Team All-SEC honors and was a midseason All-SEC honorable mention. After nabbing two interceptions and totaling 55 total tackles his junior year, Taylor could have looked to some of the blue bloods of college football to continue his career. Instead, he chose to stick with the Commodores and help build something meaningful, something bigger than himself.
Taylor switched positions from STAR (Vanderbilt’s linebacker-safety hybrid position) to safety for this season. This is his original position — and arguably his best — as it allows him to lead and direct the secondary.
“I’m playing a new position now,” Taylor said. “For me personally, [it means] being more aggressive [and] being more assertive in the run and pass game.”
Taylor knows that this season brings higher expectations for him as a player, but he values his leadership roles even more. As a team captain and representative at the 2024 SEC Media Days, Taylor stands at the forefront of a new era of Vanderbilt Football.
“I’ve always led by example,” Taylor said. “[Team captain] is definitely a role that I had to step into. It is a blessing to be able to wear a C on my chest. It means a lot, and people look up to me.”
Even though he’s a senior in a leadership position, Taylor still strives to keep learning. He believes that drawing inspiration from other teammates can help hold him accountable.
“Langston [Patterson], he’s younger than me, but he keeps me on my toes, making sure that I’m doing good, making sure I’m leading by example. He would say the same thing,” Taylor said. “Diego, he’s a great leader. He leads by example. He’s a killer.”
A new outlook
The Commodores sit at 2-0 but are hungry for more wins. After an unbelievable upset win over Virginia Tech in Week One and a convincing win over Alcorn State to follow it up, Vanderbilt is starting to draw attention from the national media.
“We know what we have in our room, and we know what we’re capable of,” Taylor said. “The world is just now starting to find out.”
Taylor truly embodies what it means to be a Commodore. His drive and motivation to succeed have carried him through his career, and instead of transferring in search of money or fame, Taylor has dedicated every last ounce of himself to bettering Vanderbilt Football. In what is likely his final year of college football, he is ready to leave his mark as a pioneer of the new Vanderbilt Football.
