Justin Taylor missed the first four games of South Stanly’s (Norwood, N.C.) 2009 season with a pulled hamstring, but he returned in good health and turned in a productive senior season. The 6-4, 220-pound defensive end/linebacker ended up leading the Yadkin Valley conference in sacks with 16, helping the Rowdy Rebel Bulls to an 8-5 overall record.

“He was all-conference at defensive end,” South Stanly head coach Luke Little said. “He split time playing defensive end and outside linebacker. We ran kind of a 3-4. Depending on who we played, he lined up at defensive end or backed up to linebacker.”

Athleticism has never been a problem for Taylor, who drew offers from Arkansas, Auburn, East Carolina, Kentucky and N.C. State before committing to Tech this summer. In fact, Little says that Taylor’s “first two or three steps are as quick as anybody I’ve seen.”

Little adds that Taylor, in only his second year of high school football, improved significantly in the mental aspect this season.

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