Two-sport Tiger: Columbia standout to play football, baseball at Clemson
Will Taylor is going to get a chance to play two sports at Clemson.
The Dutch Fork quarterback verbally committed to play for the Tiger football team Wednesday. Taylor already committed to play for the baseball program a year ago.
He was recruited as a receiver for the Tigers.
“Me and my family thought about this. Not many people have opportunity to play both at such a high caliber college, one of the best in the nation,” Taylor said. “It was hard to turn down. I always have been a football and a baseball guy my whole life and now I get to do it on the highest level.”
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney offered Taylor, a lifelong Clemson fan, earlier this month. Former Tiger assistant Jeff Scott started recruiting him for football more than a year ago. New Tigers receivers coach Tyler Grisham has been handling Taylor’s recruiting after Scott left for South Florida.
Taylor informed Swinney of his decision Monday night and said the Clemson coach was “pretty pumped.”
Taylor becomes the second two-sport commit for Clemson. Class of 2021 quarterback Bubba Chandler also committed. Both will play in the Under Armour All-America Game this weekend in Frisco, Texas.
Clemson has 16 commitments for Class of 2021 after Taylor’s decision.
Taylor will sign with Clemson in December but won’t enroll early so he can finish out his high school baseball career in the spring. 247Sports ranks him as a three-star prospect and No. 23 in SC for Class of 2021.
Taylor played his first three years at Ben Lippen before transferring to Dutch Fork in January. The Silver Foxes are the four-time defending Class 5A champions and ranked No. 18 in USA Today Super 25 poll.
Taylor, who passed for 307 yards and accounted for six total touchdowns in his Dutch Fork debut last Friday, has a busy weekend ahead. He will play against Chapin on Friday and then travel to Texas, for Sunday’s Under Armour All-Star game.
The game features 40 of the top senior baseball players in the country. It is usually held at Wrigley Field in late August but was moved because of COVID-19.
“I’m excited to play against some of the top players in the country and get some good exposure,” Taylor said. “It is going to be a fun weekend.”
Taylor said he hears from MLB scouts daily and said a few came to his game Friday night and others will be there this weekend. He’s considered a high-round prospect for the 2021 MLB draft.
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 8:53 AM.
