Just a year ago, Davion Taylor was a newcomer to the Colorado football team – and a relative newcomer to the sport – who was fighting to prove he belonged in Division I.
Given his path, Taylor was more than a bit surprised last month when his name appeared on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker.
“I thought they made a mistake or something,” he said.
Taylor earned his spot on that list by his performance a year ago. Playing the “Buff back” in former coach Mike MacIntyre’s defense, Taylor flourished, with 75 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 QB pressures and two fumble recoveries – one of which he returned for a touchdown.