DJ Taylor

Position:
Inside Linebacker
Height:
6-1
Weight:
235
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Belvidere, Tenn.
High School:
Huntland
Prev School:
Wake Forest

HONORS
• 2022 Academic All-MAC

2022
• Appeared in all 13 of BGSU's games with 12 starts
• Tied a career high with eight tackles in season opener at UCLA
• Also intercepted a pass and returned it 24 yards against the Bruins
• Made six tackles and 1.0 sacks against Eastern Kentucky
• Notched five stops and 0.5 tackles for loss against Marshall
• Made five stops at Mississippi State
• Notched a team-high 11 tackles at Akron with a 0.5 sack
• Made three tackles and recorded 1.0 sack against Buffalo
• Shared the team lead with seven tackles in win over Miami (OH), helping a defensive effort that held the RedHawks to just 189 yards of total offense
• Made three stops at Central Michigan
• Notched four stops and broke up a pass in the win over Western Michigan
• Recorded his second interception of the year against Kent State while also making four tackles
• The INT against the Golden Flashes was tipped up by him and then he grabbed the 50-50 ball
• Notched eight stops and 1.5 tackles for loss in win at Toledo
• Led BGSU with 12 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss at Ohio
• Made three stops in the Quick Lane Bowl against New Mexico State

PREVIOUS SCHOOL
• Has one year of eligibility with the Falcons after spending the past five seasons at Wake Forest
• Appeared in 31 career games for Wake Forest with eight career starts
• Finished the 2021 season with 35 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one pass breakup and forced one fumble
• Appeared in five games in 2020 after missing all of 2019 with an injury
• In 2018, Taylor finished eighth on the team with 50 tackles and started seven of Wake Forest's 13 games, including the Birmingham Bowl win over Memphis
• Earned a degree in communications

HIGH SCHOOL
• Played linebacker and running back at Huntland High School for head coach Bob Robertson
• First Team all-state by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association in Class 1A
• Selected for the East-West All-Star Game
• Named a semifinalist for Tennessee Mr. Football
• Three-time all-region selection
• Region 4A Most Valuable Back in 2015
• Named All-Mid-State and All-Lakeway Area
• Rushed for 2,162 yards and 30 touchdowns on 261 carries as a senior
• Finished his career as Huntland's all-time rushing leader with 5,131 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns
• Collected 69 tackles on defense

PERSONAL
• Son of Lynette Taylor and Calvin Ward
• Currently pursuing a MBA