Usually, I’m the kind of person who doesn’t get worked up over any single
recruit. Recruiting success is built not on the back of one player, not even on
any one class, but on the strength of good classes strung together. And putting
all your eggs in one recruiting basket isn’t a wise move, whether you’re a coach
doing the recruiting or just a fan following the drama. Having said all that, it
is becoming apparent to me as time goes by that the biggest recruit on the board
in 2007 is Hampton quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Getting an early commitment from
Tyrod could boost VT’s recruiting class and recruiting profile through Signing
Day 2007.

It’s
not as if the buzz around Tyrod Taylor is anything new. I remember attending the
Nike camp in Blacksburg in April 2005, while Taylor was still a sophomore in
high school, and his name had a lot of zip then. Observers paid special
attention to him, and he was pointed out to me as someone to watch. A sophomore?
I thought. Okay, whatever.

One year later, as Taylor prepares for his senior season at Hampton High
School, the buzz is still present and has increased significantly. Tyrod is one
of the top two or three dual threat quarterbacks in the country and was recently
invited to attend the Elite 11 quarterback camp July 24-27 in Los Angeles. The
invitations to the Elite 11 camp are extended by “Nike officials,” who
(in a Big Ten-like twist of numbersmithing) invite 12 rising senior quarterbacks
from around the country to attend the selective camp. The dynamic dozen are
selected from about 1,000 prospects, who are evaluated at 12 Nike camps and six
pre-Elite 11 regional camps.

Selection for the Elite 11 camp is obviously a high honor. Taylor worked his
way into it mainly by impressing observers at the third annual Elite College
Combine in Randolph, N.J. on May 1st, then following that up with another very
impressive performance at the State College (PA) Nike Camp on May 6th. Taylor
participated in a pre-Elite 11 workout following the State College Nike camp,
and based on his performances in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Nike officials
decided to invite him to the Elite 11 camp.

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