2022 Bishop Gorman (NV) 4-star OT Jake Taylor earned an offer from Miami Hurricanes OL coach Garin Justice two weeks back, and Taylor already has a few built-in connections with the UM program.
Jake’s older brother Beau was an OL prospect at Bishop Gorman in the 2019 class that eventually ended up at UCLA, but Justice recruited Beau to UNLV when he was with the Rebels’ program.
“My brother was super close with coach Justice, so our family already knows him and is familiar with him,” Taylor said. “It’s also been great knowing the Gorman people who are [at Miami] and those that were there because when I was younger, I watched every single one of their games, traveling or not. Knowing that they are there, and that I could play with them or play where they went, it’s crazy to think about.”
Of course, the Gorman players Taylor is referring to are Brevin Jordan, Bubba Bolden, and Tate Martell, and Taylor has an established relationship with Jordan in particular due to the former Miami TE’s friendship with his brother Beau.
“They all come back every once in awhile to say hi to the coaches,” Taylor said of the Gorman trio. “When I got the offer, I actually talked to Brevin Jordan a little bit. He was just saying it’s a great program, if I have any questions I can just hit him up and he’ll tell me everything. He was saying Miami is the place to be at and how beautiful it is. Him and my brother were super close, so it was just funny how all that worked out.”
At this point, Justice has spoken with Taylor multiple times now and they have mostly talked about personal topics, but the two are expecting to get on a Zoom call soon to talk more about the football and academic side of the Miami program. Still, Taylor says he is already armed with some background knowledge about UM.
“I just did some personal research on them because I am interested in that school,” Taylor said. “I did my own personal research on their majors, facilities, and all that kind of stuff.”
So, what does Taylor like about the Miami program?
“Basically everything. Knowing that they are one of the private schools that competes at a high level – not many people know that,” Taylor said. “Their facilities are phenomenal, they’re some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Just those little factors of playing time, the facilities, academics – it just all piles up to be a great program to me.”
Justice has also been working on getting Taylor to set up a visit to Miami after the dead period is over in April, and the 6’6” 275-pound prospect has been receptive to that idea being that UM is a school that has his interest piqued.
“[Justice] told me to come down here and he’d love for me to see this in person,” Taylor said. “I definitely want to head out there and make a visit at some point so I can communicate with the coaches and see more of the program, but we still don’t have any dates set up for visits or anything. We’re just kind of taking it day-by-day.”
In the past before the pandemic, Taylor has been able to visit schools such as UCLA and USC; the only visit he’s made in the last year has been to Oklahoma for the Sooners’ win over Baylor in December.
“It’s just an amazing program,” Taylor said of OU. “Their facilities and academics are hard to beat.”
Taylor has offers from all three of those programs, plus other bids from schools like Notre Dame, Stanford, Michigan, and FSU. With all this attention coming from many top programs, Taylor said he is having a hard time narrowing down his list, and his visits will ultimately help him separate some of his options.
“My plan for a commitment is no earlier than after my junior season,” Taylor said. “I just need to make sure all this [COVID-19] stuff is clear so I can take my visits, preferably after the dead period so I can meet the coaches and go into the programs more in detail. We’ve been thinking about doing a top group, but it’s so hard to choose those top ones because it’s such a close race right now.”
Along with whatever insights he gains from his visits, the Bishop Gorman star will also be evaluating schools with set factors.
“Number one is playing time if I’m telling the honest truth,” Taylor said. “I want to play early and that’s the good part and bad part about some colleges I’m speaking with. Right after that, it’s academics because the NFL is such a rare thing – that is my goal, and I’ve worked six days a week to get that goal, but I’d love a good major to rely on.”
Until the dead period ends and he can make some visits, Taylor is planning to focus on his potential upcoming junior season. While Bishop Gorman had their fall season cancelled due to state restrictions stemming from COVID-19, their district is in the process of deciding if the schools can play a spring season starting in March.
“We’ll find out in a couple weeks what the deal is. If they say no, we’re going to form a club and play with all the Trinity Leagues and all the big schools,” Taylor said. “It’s a terrible time that I couldn’t play a season, but it’s been a blessing in disguise since I have a very amazing coach, we’ve worked pretty much every single day since quarantine started. We go six days a week every single week, even the holiday weeks. We go Wednesday, Saturday conditioning; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday are pure weight room and technique. So entering my season, if we do have one, this will be the most in-shape, strongest, and most technique-sound I’ve ever been in my life.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Taylor started at right tackle for a Bishop Gorman program that went 11-2.
“I’m more of a taller, lengthier player as a tackle. I’m more of a pulling and agility type of player, but that doesn’t stop me from driving some dude back 5 to 10 yards every single play.”
Jake’s older brother Beau was an OL prospect at Bishop Gorman in the 2019 class that eventually ended up at UCLA, but Justice recruited Beau to UNLV when he was with the Rebels’ program.
“My brother was super close with coach Justice, so our family already knows him and is familiar with him,” Taylor said. “It’s also been great knowing the Gorman people who are [at Miami] and those that were there because when I was younger, I watched every single one of their games, traveling or not. Knowing that they are there, and that I could play with them or play where they went, it’s crazy to think about.”
Of course, the Gorman players Taylor is referring to are Brevin Jordan, Bubba Bolden, and Tate Martell, and Taylor has an established relationship with Jordan in particular due to the former Miami TE’s friendship with his brother Beau.
“They all come back every once in awhile to say hi to the coaches,” Taylor said of the Gorman trio. “When I got the offer, I actually talked to Brevin Jordan a little bit. He was just saying it’s a great program, if I have any questions I can just hit him up and he’ll tell me everything. He was saying Miami is the place to be at and how beautiful it is. Him and my brother were super close, so it was just funny how all that worked out.”
At this point, Justice has spoken with Taylor multiple times now and they have mostly talked about personal topics, but the two are expecting to get on a Zoom call soon to talk more about the football and academic side of the Miami program. Still, Taylor says he is already armed with some background knowledge about UM.
“I just did some personal research on them because I am interested in that school,” Taylor said. “I did my own personal research on their majors, facilities, and all that kind of stuff.”
So, what does Taylor like about the Miami program?
“Basically everything. Knowing that they are one of the private schools that competes at a high level – not many people know that,” Taylor said. “Their facilities are phenomenal, they’re some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Just those little factors of playing time, the facilities, academics – it just all piles up to be a great program to me.”
Justice has also been working on getting Taylor to set up a visit to Miami after the dead period is over in April, and the 6’6” 275-pound prospect has been receptive to that idea being that UM is a school that has his interest piqued.
“[Justice] told me to come down here and he’d love for me to see this in person,” Taylor said. “I definitely want to head out there and make a visit at some point so I can communicate with the coaches and see more of the program, but we still don’t have any dates set up for visits or anything. We’re just kind of taking it day-by-day.”
In the past before the pandemic, Taylor has been able to visit schools such as UCLA and USC; the only visit he’s made in the last year has been to Oklahoma for the Sooners’ win over Baylor in December.
“It’s just an amazing program,” Taylor said of OU. “Their facilities and academics are hard to beat.”
Taylor has offers from all three of those programs, plus other bids from schools like Notre Dame, Stanford, Michigan, and FSU. With all this attention coming from many top programs, Taylor said he is having a hard time narrowing down his list, and his visits will ultimately help him separate some of his options.
“My plan for a commitment is no earlier than after my junior season,” Taylor said. “I just need to make sure all this [COVID-19] stuff is clear so I can take my visits, preferably after the dead period so I can meet the coaches and go into the programs more in detail. We’ve been thinking about doing a top group, but it’s so hard to choose those top ones because it’s such a close race right now.”
Along with whatever insights he gains from his visits, the Bishop Gorman star will also be evaluating schools with set factors.
“Number one is playing time if I’m telling the honest truth,” Taylor said. “I want to play early and that’s the good part and bad part about some colleges I’m speaking with. Right after that, it’s academics because the NFL is such a rare thing – that is my goal, and I’ve worked six days a week to get that goal, but I’d love a good major to rely on.”
Until the dead period ends and he can make some visits, Taylor is planning to focus on his potential upcoming junior season. While Bishop Gorman had their fall season cancelled due to state restrictions stemming from COVID-19, their district is in the process of deciding if the schools can play a spring season starting in March.
“We’ll find out in a couple weeks what the deal is. If they say no, we’re going to form a club and play with all the Trinity Leagues and all the big schools,” Taylor said. “It’s a terrible time that I couldn’t play a season, but it’s been a blessing in disguise since I have a very amazing coach, we’ve worked pretty much every single day since quarantine started. We go six days a week every single week, even the holiday weeks. We go Wednesday, Saturday conditioning; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday are pure weight room and technique. So entering my season, if we do have one, this will be the most in-shape, strongest, and most technique-sound I’ve ever been in my life.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Taylor started at right tackle for a Bishop Gorman program that went 11-2.
“I’m more of a taller, lengthier player as a tackle. I’m more of a pulling and agility type of player, but that doesn’t stop me from driving some dude back 5 to 10 yards every single play.”
