Tyrod Taylor has always played quarterback. He sees no reason why he can't do the same in the NFL.
But there are others who are convinced that he has far more value as a wide receiver and/or kick return specialist at the next level. Given Taylor's swift feet and shifty moves, changing positions seems like a reasonable option to consider.
Taylor isn't interested. He has no desire to be the 21st century version of Kordell 'Slash" Stewart.
Quite frankly, you can't blame him. Since the age of five, Taylor has been the signal caller for every team he's ever played on. This past season, he led the Hokies to the Orange Bowl and finished the season with 2,700-plus passing yards and 24 touchdowns. Plus he has that added dimension of being able to routinely turn negative plays into positive plays.
However, there are pro football insiders who are thoroughly convinced that Taylor lacks the tools to be a legitimate NFL quarterback. They say his height (6-feet) will hinder his chances of being successful, because he won't able to see over the taller linemen to make accurate throws. While it's true that most pro QBs are 6-feet-3 or taller, there are some notable exceptions. Heard of Drew Brees? How about Michael Vick? Both are about Taylor's height and both are proven commodities in the league.
Taylor will have to adjust to being a drop-back passer, which is something he didn't do much of in Virginia Tech's spread offense. Not a problem. He's already working on it, as evidenced by his play in last week's East-West Shrine game. The East-West is a college all-star exhibition in which the college stars get to show their wares in front of the probing eyes of NFL scouts and coaches. Taylor raised a few eyebrows at practice sessions for the East-West game when he declined to play other positions.
Dan Reeves, a former NFL coach got an eyeful of Taylor as one of the East-West coaches. In his mind, there's no doubt that Taylor has what it takes to make it in the pros-- as a quarterback. Reeves, by the way, was on hand when Vick started his pro career. As head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, Reeves was instrumental in Vick's early development.
Tyrod T routinely breaks down defenses with his legs, but he also has a strong arm and has shown that he can throw with accuracy. Folks at the East-West game got a taste of what Taylor is capable of when running a pro-style offense. He led the East team in completing four of five passes for 59 yards.
This week, he looks to further impress the scouts when he plays in the Senior Bowl on Saturday.
Taylor is not viewed as a first-round pick like Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. As a quarterback, he's likely to go in the late rounds. But it's all good.
Tyrod T has such a positive upside that at least two teams have reportedly targeted him already as a QB for the NFL draft in April (San Francisco and Oakland). He's got so much going for him physically. And it's clear that he'll improve by leaps and bounds, especially if he's taken by a team that will show patience in allowing him to fully develop.
With that being said, there's still an X-factor in all this. And it shouldn't be ignored.
Tyrod Taylor gets a big jolt out of proving people wrong.
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