CJ Taylor - Football - Vanderbilt University Athletics

#1 CJ Taylor Season 2024-25

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Class Senior
Height 6-1
Weight 204
Hometown McMinnville, Tenn.
High School Warren County

NIL on Opendorse

Student-Athlete Features
VUCommodores.com — Taylor Made

As a Senior (2024)
• Team Captain
• Made seven tackles, tied for most on the team, and forced the first fumble of his career in the win at Auburn
• Tallied a season-high eight tackles versus Texas
• Matched his season best with six solo tackles in defeat of Ball State
• Hauled in the fourth interception of his career in win over Alcorn State
• Bednarik Award Watch List
• Preseason All-SEC (Phil Steele; third team)
• Preseason All-SEC (Athlon; third team)

As a Junior (2023)
• Fourth team All-SEC (Phil Steele)
• Started nine of nine games played
• Finished third on the team with 55 tackles
• Second on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss
• Recorded two interceptions and three pass break-ups, while forcing two fumbles
• Pro Football Focus defensive grade of 80.2 was fourth among SEC linebackers
• Midseason All-SEC, honorable mention defense (College Football Network)
• Recorded a pick that he returned for 35 yards to Georgia’s one-yard line versus the Bulldogs
• Grabbed his first interception of the season (second of his career) at Florida
• Tied career-best 10 tackles (8 solo), recorded two sacks and forced a fumble at Wake Forest
• Sacked the quarterback for a loss of 10 yards and recorded nine total (four solo) tackles in win over Hawai’i
• Second-team preseason All-SEC (Pro Football Focus)
• Third-team preseason All-SEC (Athlon)

As a Sophomore (2022)
• Played in all 12 games
• Made 59 tackles, 7.0 for loss, with an interception and two fumble returns for touchdowns
• Recorded a season-best 10 tackles in win over Florida
• Sacked the quarterback in win over Kentucky
• Returned a fumble for a touchdown against Missouri
• Posted 9 tackles at Alabama
• Returned a fumble 14 yards for a touchdown in win at Hawaii

As a Freshman (2021)
• Six games played
• Three total tackles

The Taylor File
• Lettered three years at Warren County Senior under head coach Matt Turner
• Consensus three-star prospect, according to ESPN.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com
Listed as the No. 31 prospect in Tennessee by ESPN.com, No. 33 by 247Sports.com and No. 34 by Rivals.com
Selected to play in the 2020 Blue-Grey All-American Bowl
• The 2020 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Division I, Class 6A award winner
• Warren County’s first Tennessee Titans Mr. Football finalist
• First team Tennessee Sports Writers Association Class 6A All-State selection as a senior
• Region 3-6A Most Valuable Player in 2020
• Served as a quarterback for the Pioneers, guiding the 2020 team to an 8-3 record, the program’s best in 40 years, and a third-place finish in Region 3-6A
• In career, totaled 2,989 rushing yards, 41 rushing touchdowns, 796 passing yards, 115 receiving yards, 142 kickoff return yards, 368 punt return yards, 174 tackles, six interceptions and two sacks
• Rushed for 1,767 yards with 23 touchdowns and threw for 492 yards with five touchdowns as a senior
• On defense during final campaign, tallied 57 tackles with four tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, three caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries
• As a junior, rushed for 891 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing for 304 yards
• Booked 65 tackles and two interceptions during 2019 campaign
• As a sophomore, rushed for 334 yards and three scores to go along with 67 tackles and one interception
• Member of the basketball program for head coach Chris Sullens earning second team all-midstate honors from Main Street Preps as a senior in 2020-21
• Eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in basketball, becoming the school’s first student to finish with 3,000 career football total yards and 1,000 career basketball points
• As a junior in 2019, hit a buzzer-beating three to give the Pioneers their first district title in 43 years, cementing district tournament most valuable player accolades
• Son of Brandy Pinegar and Chad Taylor
• Has two older brothers, Jordan and Dominque, and an older sister, Jasmine
• Cousin Alontae Taylor played at Tennessee and the NFL
• Majoring in medicine, health and society