Steelers News: Ike Taylor's Son Flips Commitment to Michigan
PITTSBURGH -- A former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback's son made news with his college football recruitment, featuring as one of the top high school athletes in his class.
Ivan Taylor, the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, chose to flip his commitment from Notre Dame to Michigan.
BREAKING: Four-Star Safety Ivan Taylor has Flipped his Commitment from Notre Dame to Michigan, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 8, 2024
The 6’0 180 S from Winter Garden, FL had been Committed to the Fighting Irish since December
Is the son of former NFL CB & 2x Super Bowl Champion Ike… pic.twitter.com/Kz8VH3u6pt
Ivan Taylor is one of the top safeties in the Class of 2025, playing for West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla. near Orlando. He made 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, one interception and forced four fumbles as a junior in the 2023 season.
He comes in as a unanimous four-star, with all three major recruiting sites ranking him as such. 247Sports ranks him at No. 41 in the nation, No. 2 safety and No. 5 recruit in Florida, Rivals has him at No. 102 in the country, No. 20 in Florida and No. 11 at his position, while On3 rates him at No. 132 in the nation, No. 21 in his state and No. 14 safety.
In terms of Michigan's top Class of 2025 recruits, 247Sports ranks him at No. 1, On3 has him at No. 2 and he is tied for No. 2 on Rivals.
Ivan Taylor committed to Notre Dame on Dec. 1, spending seven months in their Class of 2025, before decommitting and landing with at Michigan, the reigning National Champions.
He took a picture with fellow Fighting Irish Class of 2025 commits Elijah Burress and Jerome Bettis Jr. and their fathers, the sons of former Steelers, wide receiver Plaxico Burress and Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis.
Former @Steelers Plaxico Burress, Ike Taylor and Jerome Bettis pose with their sons 🔥
— NFL (@NFL) June 17, 2024
Elijah, Ivan and Jerome Jr. are all committed to play at @NDFootball ☘️ (via @elijahburress) pic.twitter.com/pqdtQYUdZh
Ike Taylor played two seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette in 2001 and 2002. His senior season, where he moved to cornerback and showed his strengths, as he made 46 tackles, eight passes defended, forced two fumbles, while also preventing any opponent catch in four games.
The Steelers took him in the Fourth Round of the 2023 NFL Draft , the same year they took future Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu in the First Round.
Ike Taylor had an incredible 12 seasons with the Steelers, playing a big role in two Super Bowl winning teams, XL over the Seattle Seahawks and XLIII over the Arizona Cardinals.
He only missed seven games in his first 11 seasons in Pittsburgh, three coming in 2004 and four coming in 2012. He also started every game in five seasons and didn't start in just seven games total that he played from 2005-2013.
Ike Taylor made 636 tackles (518 solo), three sacks, 134 passes defended, 14 interceptions, two forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in 174 games throughout his 12 seasons with the Steelers.
His best season, statiscally, came in 2005, his first Super Bowl win with the Steelers. He set career-highs with 91 tackles (75 solo), 20 passes defended and two fumble recoveries.
Ike Taylor also made big plays for the Steelers in the postseason, making an interception in the win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game and then seven tackles, two pass deflections and an interception in the Super Bowl victory over the Seahawks.
DOMINIC CAMPBELL
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