Change so far fits Taylor

Receiver’s switch to linebacker is more experiment than audition for now

By PAUL STRELOW - pstrelow@thestate.com

CLEMSON — Rendrick Taylor strolled casually toward the parking lot after a recent Clemson practice when he crossed paths with receiver Aaron Kelly.

“You know you miss being out there with us,” Kelly suggested.

Taylor chuckled.

Receivers always come off the Tigers’ practice field last, and Taylor was already dressed and out the door.

Through the opening three spring practices, Taylor has embraced the amenities of his rented locker with the linebackers.

But the 6-foot-2, 240-pound rising senior is not yet ready to sign the mortgage on his position switch.

Having failed to develop into the jack-of-all trades, hybrid offensive skill role coaches once envisioned, Taylor said he made the long-speculated move to defense to help the team.

When receivers coach Dabo Swinney proposed the change in the offseason, Taylor was hesitant, but then sold himself on the idea and approached coach Tommy Bowden to finalize the experimental terms.

If Taylor wants to return to receiver by the end of spring drills, he can.

He knew the first challenge would come during Wednesday’s practice, when the Tigers put on pads and hit for the first time.

The initial verdict: So far, so good.

“I feel like I’m a real natural over there,” Taylor said.

If that is the case, Taylor could solve short- and long-term deficiencies in Clemson’s linebacker corps.

They need bodies now, and they need playmakers next fall.

Starters Nick Watkins and Tramaine Billie exhausted their eligibility. Incumbent senior middle linebacker Cortney Vincent’s status is in limbo after a December arrest on a DUI charge and spring practice suspension for violating athletics department policy. And senior linebacker Antonio Clay might not return after leaving school for the second spring semester in a row to cope with emotional distresses stemming from his sister’s death.

With two freshmen sidelined in the early going as well, Clemson has six scholarship linebackers to work with, enough to field a first- and second-string.

Taylor is backing up junior Kavell Conner at the weakside position. Beyond Conner, the closest player the unit has to being a veteran is sophomore strongside linebacker Scotty Cooper, who owns two career starts.

“Spring is a time for experimenting, and hopefully he can be a guy,” linebackers coach David Blackwell said.

“He’s really an athlete when he knows where he’s going.”

After spending three injury-ravaged seasons as an oversized receiver, Taylor was convinced his best chance at an NFL career might be scrapping the status quo.

“There might be some 245 pound wideouts in the NFL that are 6-5, 6-6,” Bowden said. “He just doesn’t have that size.”

Taylor played both safety and linebacker at Marlboro County High and said he has felt surprising comfortable with the zone drops and coverages he has needed to pick up quickly.

The toughest adjustment has related to his playing posture. Accustomed to being upright as a receiver, Taylor has added various hip stretches to his workout regiment to train his body to sit in a lower stance.

“I’m going out there with the mind-frame I can be playing this position in the fall,” he said. “Right now things are going real good for me. But we’ve got a lot spring ball ahead of us.”

Extra points. The school issued a release noting Ray Ray McElrathbey would receive a stipend that could cover expenses such as room and board if he accepted a graduate assistant job within the athletic department. ... The Tigers will hold its first spring scrimmage today. It is closed to the public. ... Bowden said receiver Marquan Jones, a freshman early enrollee from Blythewood, will play next season. Jones has been helped by Blythewood’s use of similar terminology under former coach and current Clemson grad assistant Jeff Scott. ... South Florida offensive coaches are sitting in Clemson meetings this week.