NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In his first full season of collegiate competition, Vanderbilt football kicker Brock Taylor has been named to the SEC All-Freshman team. The conference announced the team on Thursday afternoon.
Taylor, a sophomore academically, was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in his freshman season of competition. He finished the regular season 18-for-21 on field goals with a long of 57 yards, while making 34-of-35 extra points. He also took over kickoff duties halfway through the campaign, averaging 61.4 yards per kick with 21 touchbacks on 38 kickoffs.
The Knoxville, Tennessee, native is the first kicker in Vanderbilt history with five career field goals of at least 50 yards. He was good from 50 on his first collegiate attempt, converting from 53 yards in the season-opener at Virginia Tech. He later made a school-record 57-yard field goal as time expired in the first half at Missouri.
Taylor earned the first of two SEC Special Teams Player of the Week awards in Vandy’s win over No. 1 Alabama. He made a 51-yard field goal in the effort to secure the program’s first-ever victory against the nation’s top-ranked team.
He won his second SEC Special Teams Player of the Week award the following week in a win at Kentucky. Taylor converted field goals from 49 and 50 yards and made a touchdown-saving tackle on a kickoff return. Taylor also made a 31-yard field goal that put the Dores up for good in the win at Auburn, Vandy’s first-ever victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Commodores have now had at least one player on the All-Freshman for consecutive seasons after not having a representative on the team from 2019-22.
All-SEC Picks
In addition to Taylor, the league’s coaches placed four Commodores on the All-SEC teams announced Tuesday and on Wednesday named Clark Lea Coach of the Year and Diego Pavia Newcomer of the Year.
Beyond the coaches voting, the Associated Press chose Jesse Mirco as first-team All-SEC punter, Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers on the second team and named Pavia Co-Newcomer of the Year.
The Commodores are preparing to face Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 27. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.
