Brett Taylor | Western Illinois, LB 2018 NFL Draft

JUNIOR (2016):
First Team All-America (STATS)… Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America Team… First Team All-America (College Sports Madness)… Second Team All-America (Associated Press)… Finished 7th in the Buck Buchanan Award voting (National Defensive Player of the Year)… First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference… First Team Academic All-MVFC… Missouri Valley Football Conference President’s Council Academic Award… MVFC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award… MVFC Honor Roll… Led the nation in solo tackles per game… recorded the 10th-best solo tackle per game average in FCS season history… ranked third nationally in total tackles per game… started in all 11 contests… game-high 14 tackles (7 solo/7 assisted) at Eastern Illinois. Added a sack and recorded his third career interception… shared game-high honors with 10 tackles against Northern Arizona. Made two tackles for a loss and recorded a 11-yard sack… game-high 13 tackles at Northern Illinois, of which 12 were solo stops. Shared on a sack as well. MVFC ‘Defensive Player of the Week’… three tackles at South Dakota State… game-high 11 tackles (9 solos) and had one for a loss against Indiana State… made the tackle on the game’s final play off the pitch to secure the victory… 11 tackles at Missouri State… matched a season-high of 14 tackles versus North Dakota State, including a then career-high 13 solo stops… season-high 15 tackles at South Dakota, including 11 solo stops… Recovered a key fumble in the endzone which stopped USD from extending the lead and started Western’s game-winning touchdown drive. Shared on a tackle for loss and broke up a pass… game-high 11 tackles versus Illinois State, including nine solos… made two tackles for a loss and a sack… career-high 18 tackles, including career-best 15 solo stops, against UNI. His 15 solo tackles were the most by any FCS player in the 2016 season. Named Honorable Mention ‘National Defensive Player of the Week’ by STATS… made 15 tackles (7 solos) at Southern Illinois… graduated in December with his bachelor’s degree.
CAREER-HIGH TACKLES: 18 vs. UNI (11/12/16)
CAREER-HIGH SOLO TACKLES: 15 vs. UNI (11/12/16)
CAREER-HIGH TFL: 4.0 vs. South Dakota State (11/21/15)
CAREER-HIGH INTERCEPTIONS: 1 on three occasions
CAREER-HIGH FUMBLE RECOVERY: 2 at Illinois (9/12/15)
CAREER TOUCHDOWNS: 2 (42 yds Interception vs. Eastern Illinois, 9/3/15; 21 yd fumble return vs. Southern Illinois, 10/3/15)

SOPHOMORE (2015): Second Team All-MVFC… Second Team Academic All-MVFC… MVFC Honor Roll… team-leading 144 tackles (60 more than the next closest)… scored two touchdowns (interception and fumble return)… 10.5 tackles for a loss… two interceptions and a pass break-up… tied WIU record with four fumble recoveries… two forced fumbles… recorded six tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in the opener versus Eastern Illinois… made a 1-yard TFL… game-high 16 tackles at Illinois along with a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries… recovered both fumbles on consecutive Illini drives… six tackles, including one for a loss, at Coastal Carolina… career-high 17 tackles against Southern Illinois (11 solos)… recovered a fumble and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown… had a break-up that led to an interception and a quarterback hurry… MVFC ‘Defensive Player of the Week’… tied for team lead with 10 tackles in the South Dakota victory… added a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry… game-high 12 tackles at UNI (11 solos), including a tackle for loss… named MVFC ‘Defensive Player of the Week’for his play… team-leading nine tackles at Illinois State and forced a fumble… finished with 13 tackles versus Youngstown State, including nine solo stops… added a tackle for loss… team-leading and game-high 15 tackles at North Dakota State (7 solos)… shared the team-lead with eight tackles at Indiana State… team-leading 11 tackles versus South Dakota State… 4.0 TFL in the win and a quarterback hurry… recovered a fumble at Dayton and tied for the team lead with seven tackles… tackle for loss for two yards… tied the WIU season record with his four fumble recoveries… team- and game-high 14 tackles in the playoff game at Illinois State… recorded an interception in the second quarter… added 2-yard tackle for loss.

REDSHIRT-FRESHMAN (2014): Played in all 12 games and started the final three contests… 29 total tackles and forced a fumble on the year… recorded seven tackles during the second half of his debut versus Valparaiso… played at Wisconsin… assisted on four tackles against Drake… played at Northwestern… played at Southern Illinois… assisted tackle against North Dakota State… played at Youngstown State and versus Illinois State… played against Northern Iowa… matched his career-high of seven tackles while earning his first collegiate start at South Dakota… logged six tackles at South Dakota State, including five solos… made four tackles in the win over Indiana State… received the Missouri Valley Football Conference Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.

FRESHMAN (2013): Redshirted… named to the MVFC Academic Honor Roll.

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered four years in baseball, three in football and once in basketball for the Bombers… three-time All-Conference selection in football, two years in baseball… three times selected best defensive lineman (2010, 2011, 2012)… recorded 111 tackles as a sophomore, 172 his junior year and 210 last fall leading Macomb to the playoffs… set the Macomb HS record for career tackles (493) and season tackles (210)… team won the 2012 conference football title… played for coach Kelly Sears… also set the baseball program record for most doubles in a year.

PERSONAL: Born August 8, 1994 in Macomb… No. 1 sports highlight was in high school hurdling two offensive linemen on the same play and tackling both the quarterback and running back… his grandfather Ed Holzwarth has been a major influence, “He used to take me to all the sporting events as a little kid and has always supported me.”… most admires Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Mathews, “He went from college walk-on to a NFL Pro Bowler. It shows that hard work can take you really far in life.”… enjoys Frisbee golf, hunting, sports and hanging out with friends… favorite professional team is the Green Bay Packers… favorite music group is Linkin Park… his cousin Lyndi Thorman played basketball at Texas-San Antonio… son of Mike and Sandra Taylor.

Missouri State, Central Michigan and Western Illinois were the three schools that showed Taylor attention leaving high school. He felt Western was the best place to make the biggest impact both on the field in and in the classroom.

Taylor played under four different defensive coordinators, and all four chose Taylor to run the offense. He would strive to beat their strength coach to the facility before he arrived at five in the morning. Consistently around the football, he prides himself on being near the football. Taylor admits he is not the fastest guy on the field, but he uses his football IQ and film study to nullify opponent’s strengths.

Durable and ultra-productive, Taylor’s tape far out weighs what hand held stop watches reveal. Production is matched with a sense of urgency. He is instinctive with good angles to the football. Taylor excels when the play is in front of him. Northwestern Pro Day was a day he says did not meet his standards, but WIU Pro Day was on par with his ability. He averaged 146.6 tackles per game over last three seasons at Western Illinois.