MIAMI — Hard hitting linebacker and Georgia commitment Juwan Taylor is thinking about taking an official visit to Arkansas thanks to the efforts of linebackers coach Randy Shannon.
“He said it’s a great city,” Taylor said. “It’s like family, everyone gets along with each other. He said if I come I won’t feel left out.”
Taylor, 6-2, 200, 4.70 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Hallandale, Fla. has approximately 30 scholarship offers from schools like Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Clemson, Tennessee and Wisconsin. He's also thinking of taking official visits to LSU and Mississippi State.
“He’s a very cool guy,” Taylor said of Shannon. “He’s like a father. He talks to me about anything, life, football things, I want to do in life. He’s like a great guy. He wants to know you.”
He was able to watch the Hogs play Mississippi State.
“It was tough one. they always came through with it,” Taylor said.
Hallandale Coach Dameon Jones said Taylor is the total package on and off the field.
“He’s a hard hitter, very athletic, instincts and nose for the ball,” Jones said. “Off the field, very humble kid. He doesn’t talk much, real reserved, but very aggressive on the field. He has that on and off switch. At the end of the day, he's a great kid.”
Jones recalled Taylor putting a bone crushing hit on a running back earlier in the season and caused a concussion. He said Taylor did similar in a drill while he was lined up at fullback in the spring.
“He came up and knocked the linebacker out,” Jones said. “The Cincinnati coach, Eddie Graham was like you’re offered right now. I’ll never forget that because he’s so aggressive, but you wouldn’t think that because he’s a real humble kid.”
Taylor likes the physical part of the game.
“I love to hit,” Taylor said.
He reminds the opponents of his intentions after a big hit.
“I just tell them I’m coming back, it’s going to be every night,” Taylor said. “I love to let them know my presences is here.”
Taylor who has a 285 pound bench press and 415 squat, plans to major in Sports Management .
“I want to have my own training facilities,” he said.
Taylor transferred to Hallandale from Hollywood Hills during the offseason without any scholarship offers.That changed during the spring when offers started rolling in after coaches were able to see him during the spring.
“It was just exciting, because all the time in high school I was this underrated kid coming out of Hollywood Hills and when I came here I got the exposure I wanted,” Taylor said.
When Georgia extended his first offer, Taylor was overwhelmed and teared up.
“It was like all this hard work I’ve been putting myself through and it finally happened,” Taylor said. “It was like is this really happening. It was the happiest moment in my life.”