Mason Taylor saw his father end a career in the Hall of Fame with very open eyes and football dreams with his.
Now, Jason Taylor’s son is a member of the New York Jets, a SECOND ROUND DRAFT SELECTION OF LSU with famous blood lines and an opportunity to have an immediate impact on NFL.
With the opportunity to get out of a great shadow.
“There are high expectations, surely, just for the last name,” Mason Taylor acknowledged after the first practice of the Jets of the Nibato Minicampa on Friday. “But I mean, when people say, like ‘Oh, let them have their brightness’ you know ‘, stop saying the name of their father,’ I mean, I love it. We are family.”
His father was one of the best NFL pass runners with 139 1/2 career catches during a 15 -year race. That included 13 seasons with Miami in three periods, a season with Washington and the 2010 season for the jets, the last time New York reached the playoffs.
Several photos of Mason Taylor, then 6 years, have floated on social networks the last weeks of him in Jets practices and games With a green mohawk and a green and white shirt No. 99. There is another one from him Celebrating your seventh birthday While wear a Mark Sánchez T -shirt No. 6.
“Yes, I mean, seeing the photos and being here now,” Taylor said, now with the number 46 with the jets, “it is definitely a surreal moment.”
His uncle is Zach Thomas, Mason’s mother’s brother and also a member of the Hall of Fame of Professional Soccer. He was also Jason’s teammate with the Dolphins.
“I mean, I want to be like them,” Mason said. “Then, you can call it ‘in his shadows’, but I love to model my game after his, his hard work. I know they were in defense, but only his hard work and how they were not very recruited in the NFL … their consistency every day.
“I admire those guys, sure.”
Jason Taylor was excited shortly after his son was recruited, cleaning tears During a video call with journalists, thinking about how it will be for him to see Mason play in the NFL.
Before the young wing was reported for the rookie camp with the Jets, he received some advice from his famous father.
“Actually a text message shot me last night, last night before our first day:” Simply be where your feet are, take one step at a time, “said Mason Taylor, who turned 21 on Thursday.” And that is something that I have done all my life, just one day at the same time, an installation at the same time, one practice at the same time, a training at the same time.
“So it really is good where your feet are, stacking the days and that will show your consistency and then that will also get the confidence of the coaches and players.”
Taylor had 129 trapped for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons in LSU, establishing itself as the most productive closed wing in school history and one of the best players in their position in the country. It will be told to add another pass option For Justin Fields In the new Jets offensive this season.
The New York closed wings group also includes Jeremy Ruckert, Zack Kuntz, Neal Johnson and Stone Smart, but Taylor could see significant photos as a rookie.
“Take advantage of my opportunity here and the coaches who bring me and trust me to be part of their program only talks about the level of trust in me,” Taylor said. “And just give them everything I get in the field for a mini -family and show that at meetings and weight room and all that is definitely something I am looking forward to doing.”
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