It was almost as if Tennessee edge rusher Darrell Taylor could hear the television commentary.
As Mississippi State’s offense lined up for third-and-5 on its opening possession last October, the SEC Network’s Taylor Zarzour commented on how the Volunteers had struggled on third down. And he was correct.
Georgia State converted 10-of-17 attempts to pull off a season-opening stunner. Then, BYU went 5-of-13, Chattanooga 6-of-17, Florida 4-of-11 and Georgia 5-of-11. No doubt, a reason for Tennessee’s pitiful 1-4 start was allowing its opponents to convert 30-of-69 third downs (43.5%), a rate that would have placed the unit outside of the top 100 for the entire 2019 college football season.
Enter Taylor.
Standing up at the snap, the redshirt senior planted his right hand into the chest of right tackle Greg Eiland and drove him into the backfield. Taylor got to quarterback Tommy Stevens in 2.7 seconds for a sack that got his defense off the field. It was exactly what the Volunteers needed and the type of play Taylor produced consistently during his last two seasons, when he totaled 16 1/2 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.
That production makes Taylor, who looks the part of a 3-4 outside linebacker at 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds, an attractive option for teams, such as the Broncos, that might prefer to wait until the second or third day of the draft to add an edge rusher. The Broncos have other needs (receiver, cornerback and center) that are more pressing, but they also have three third-round picks and a fourth-round selection. One of those could be used to add depth behind starters Von Miller and Bradley Chubb and bring in competition for reserves Malik Reed, Justin Hollins and Jeremiah Attaochu.
Taylor is among about a half-dozen edge rushers expected to be drafted between the third and fourth rounds, and he has traits that could eventually make him an NFL starter. What stood out most in games against Mississippi State (20-10 win on Oct. 12) and South Carolina (41-21 win on Oct. 26) was how effectively he used his quick first step and burst to get around the corner and impact the quarterback.
Taylor beat Eiland on the first drive. In the fourth quarter, he beat left tackle Tyre Phillips with another speed move to sack and strip the quarterback in 2.2 seconds. Against South Carolina, Taylor notched two more sacks when he dusted tight end Kyle Markway around the corner (2.6 seconds) and later used a head bob to get inside right tackle Jaylen Nichols (3.0 seconds).
Speed moves are Taylor’s strength, but he also showed other skills. In both games, he was useful against the run, including a third-and-1 play against South Carolina when he flattened Markway and then helped make a tackle short of the first-down marker. He also batted down a pair of passes against the Gamecocks.
More plays like that and Taylor would likely be an early Day 2 pick, but he has his limitations. That includes a need to add additional pass-rushing moves to avoid being a one-trick pony. While he did show the ability to play standing up or with his hand in the ground, Taylor didn’t drop into coverage often against Mississippi State or South Carolina. That might not limit him too much if teams see him as a third-down pass-rushing specialist, but he’ll need to sharpen those skills to become a full-time player.
Taylor also served a two-game suspension as a sophomore for reportedly getting into an altercation with a teammate, though it’s worth noting he was named a team captain last season.
Taylor is not nearly the same level of prospect as Ohio State’s Chase Young and LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson or even Michigan’s Josh Uche and Alabama’s Terrell Lewis. But for the Broncos, he doesn’t need to be.
If general manager John Elway is interested, he can address other needs and then circle back. Given Taylor’s college production, he could be a nice supplemental piece to a quality draft.
Three other players to watch:
Alex Highsmith, Charlotte
Game watched: 52-10 loss at Clemson on Sept. 21
Stat line: Three tackles (all solo) and one sack
Breakdown: A former walk-on, Highsmith recorded 4 1/2 sacks against Old Dominion in late November on his way to a single-season program record of 14. Dominating lesser talent is important in getting noticed, but Highsmith’s game against Clemson is probably a better indication of what he could be in the NFL. The game got out of hand quickly, but Highsmith flashed some intriguing potential. His sack of backup quarterback Chase Brice was the result of his motor more than an outstanding move. As the Charlotte secondary forced Brice to abort an attempted screen pass, Highsmith fought threw a chip from the running back and beat left tackle Jackson Carman for a sack in 3.8 seconds. More impressive was a spin move Highsmith used earlier in the game to get inside Carman and hit Brice in 2.6 seconds. Highsmith (6-3/248) lined up at left and right defensive end. He wasn’t asked to drop into coverage, and he needs to more consistently set the edge and hold up against the run. Early in his career, Highsmith will likely be pass-rush focused, using his terrific first step, athleticism and solid array of moves to pressure quarterbacks. If the Broncos are interested in drafting and developing Highsmith, he could be available at No. 95 or possibly No. 118.
D.J. Wonnum, South Carolina
Game watched: 20-17 win (2 OT) over Georgia on Oct. 12
Stat line: Six tackles (three solo), one blocked field goal attempt and a half-sack.
Breakdown: Spending most of the afternoon squaring off against Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas, Wonnum contributed more with dirty work than splash plays. Thomas won most of their pass-rushing battles, but Wonnum did a nice job getting physical and setting the edge on running plays as the South Carolina defense stood tall in the second half and both overtimes. Wonnum split a sack with Kobe Smith when he cleaned up quarterback Jake Fromm in the backfield in 4.8 seconds, and later drew a holding call on Thomas that was declined because of an incomplete pass on third down. Playing the “Buck” position (hybrid DE/OLB) in Will Muschamp’s defense, Wonnum dropped into coverage and lined up over the outside and slot receivers at various points. Wonnum also slid inside on several third downs and used his quickness to beat Georgia’s guards and impact Fromm. He also blocked a field goal at the end of the first half. Wonnum (6-5/258) needs to add counter moves to his attack to be more consistent, but his length and powerful hands are plus traits. The Broncos could target Wonnum at No. 118 or consider using Nos. 178 and 181 to move up in the fifth round, if he remains available.
Carter Coughlin, Minnesota
Game watched: 31-26 win over Penn State on Nov. 9
Stat line: Eight tackles (four solo) and one sack
Breakdown: A durable (38 straight starts to end college career) and productive (22 1/2 career sacks) player, Coughlin has an urgent style that contains some creativity. Against Penn State, he stood up on each of his 60-plus defensive snaps, lining up at left and right defensive end and sliding inside on several third-down passing situations. He also dropped into coverage on three snaps. Two of Coughlin’s best plays came in space when he got to the sideline to stop speedy running back Journey Brown for a short gain, and he later snuffed out a jet sweep by receiver KJ Hamler. Coughlin showed good flexibility to dip around right tackle Will Fries and sack quarterback Sean Clifford in 3.9 seconds. On several plays, he used a head fake to get into the backfield. That was good to see because his game otherwise lacked explosion and seemed to be played at one speed. Coughlin (6-3/236) is a tad undersized but generally was strong enough to muscle up with tight ends in run support. He held his own against Penn State’s tackles and was rarely washed out of a play. Coughlin’s future, at least initially, looks to be as a rotational player who contributes on special teams. The Broncos could use a core player like that, so spending a Day 3 pick would be justifiable.
