#18 Brandon Taylor Season 2024

NFL DRAFT (No. 73, 3rd Rd., San Diego Chargers)
Second of three LSU defensive backs selected in the draft along with cornerback Morris Claiborne in the first round and cornerback Ron Brooks in the fourth round … Selected by the Chargers as the 10th pick of the third round, a pick that was owned by the Carolina Panthers, traded to the Chicago Bears (for tight end Greg Olsen in 2011); then to the Miami Dolphins (along with a 2013 third-round pick for wide receiver Brandon Marshall); then to the Chargers, who traded up five spots for their 78th and 183rd (sixth round) picks. 

CAREER
A three-year starter at strong safety … Voted one of five permanent team captains for LSU’s SEC Championship and national runner-up team in 2011 … Played in 49 games with 33 starts during his career with the Tigers … Capped career with 160 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 15 pass breakups and four interceptions … One of the newest traditions at LSU is for the player that best represents what it means to be a Tiger – on and off the field – to wear No. 18 … He was selected by Coach Miles and former No. 18s – Matt Mauck, Jacob Hester, Richard Dickson and Richard Murphy – to inherit that number as a senior in 2011 … One of three members of his family to earn a football scholarship to LSU … His brother Curtis played on LSU’s national title team in 2007 and was drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers … Another brother Jhyryn spent two years at LSU before transferring to a junior college in the spring of 2010.

SENIOR SEASON (2011)
Played and started in all 14 games as safety … Ranked third on team in tackles with 71 … Recorded two interceptions – at West Virginia and vs. Florida … Earned four tackles, his first career sack and a career high tying two tackles for a loss at Ole Miss … Posted five tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup in road win over No. 2 Alabama … Led the team with a career-high 10 tackles and one tackle for a loss at Tennessee … Had one of the best games of his career as he led the team with seven tackles, posted two pass breakups and an interception in home win over Florida … Recorded his third career interception and finished with five tackles and one pass breakup at West Virginia … Tallied a then career-high nine tackles against Oregon in the season opener.

JUNIOR SEASON (2010)
Started the first nine games and was forced to miss the rest of the season with a foot injury … Ended his season with 44 tackles … Injured his foot early against Alabama … Racked up seven tackles and one pass breakup at Auburn  … Posted seven tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and one pass breakup against Tennessee … Tallied two pass breakups and three tackles versus West Virginia … Set a career high with eight tackles against Mississippi State, including one tackle for loss … Registered five tackles, one pass breakup and a fumble recovery against North Carolina.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2009)
Played in all 13 games, starting 10 times … Recorded 41 tackles and a pair of interceptions in 2009 … Had big final game of 2009 with three tackles and pair of pass breakups against Penn State in Capital One Bowl … Recorded career-best seven tackles in win over Louisiana Tech … Interceptions came against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State … Added three tackles, including a tackle for a 6-yard loss, and a pass breakup in road win over Mississippi State … Had five tackles in four games – vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Georgia, Florida and Auburn … Had two tackles and one PBU at Alabama … Made the first start of his career at strong safety and picked up his first career interception against Vanderbilt that halted a fourth quarter drive.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2008)
Played in 13 games with no starts during his first year with the Tigers … Finished year with four total tackles and one pass breakup … Saw extensive action in the secondary against Troy, registering a pair of tackles and a pass breakup … Had one tackle in win against Troy and another tackle at Arkansas.

HIGH SCHOOL
Listed as the top-rated cornerback in Louisiana in 2007 … Named to Rivals.com Top 10 as well as being a Top 10 cornerback by Rivals.com … Named to SuperPrep All-America team … Listed as the ninth-best cornerback prospect in the nation by Rivals.com … Overall, listed as the second-best prospect in Louisiana … Named to PrepStar’s Top 300 All-America team, Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Super Southern 100, New Orleans Times-Picayune’s Blue-Chip List, Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 and the Baton Rouge Advocate’s 2008 Super Dozen … Had 89 tackles and five interceptions in his senior season … Was an all-state selection his senior year and also named Louisiana 4A Defensive Player of the Year … In 2006, played on both sides of the ball and had 62 carries for 564 yards and eight touchdowns with 10 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns on offense and recorded 30 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns on defense … Coached by Shane Smith.

PERSONAL
Full name is Brandon Alex Taylor … Born on Jan. 29, 1990, in Bogalusa, La. … Parents are Curtis and Annette Taylor … Has eight brothers and sisters … Has a twin sister, Britney, who was born just minutes ahead of Brandon … Majoring in general studies.

CAREER HIGHS   
Total tackles: 10 at Tennessee, 2011 
Tackles for loss: 2, twice (Last: at Ole Miss, 2011; First: vs. Tennessee, 2010)
Interceptions: 1, four times (Last: vs. Florida, 2011)
PBUs: 2, three times (Last: vs. Florida, 2011)

TAYLOR’S CAREER DEFENSIVE STATISTICS