Blaise Taylor is in his first season with Utah State’s football program as a senior defensive analyst. In his role with the Aggies, Taylor will be assisting the defensive secondary.
Taylor comes to Utah State after spending the past four years with the Tennessee Titans. In June of 2021, Taylor was promoted from a scouting assistant to a pro scout, where his duties included preparing opponent breakdowns, position matchup breakdowns and offensive and defensive PFF analysis of opponents on a weekly basis. He also evaluated and graded NFL free agents for free agency.
Before making his way to Nashville, Taylor was a defensive graduate assistant at Duke. While with the Blue Devils, he aided in coaching the linebackers in a 4-2-5 scheme and assisted in all phases of special teams, working with all returners in the process.
Taylor was a four-year starter and team captain at Arkansas State from 2014-17, earning first-team all-Sun Belt Conference honors as both a defensive back and punt returner. He ended his collegiate career as the Red Wolves’ record holder for punt return yards (1,151) and pass breakups (30), and the Sun Belt’s all-time leader in passes defended (36). His four punt returns for touchdowns also rank second in league history and he holds three of the top-10 marks in school history for punt return yards in a game and in a season as well as the two highest punt return averages in a game all-time.
Taylor helped lead Arkansas State to three straight Sun Belt Championships and bowl games. Taylor ended his career as a two-time all-Sun Belt selection, an Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year and William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist.
The native of Waco, Texas, earned his master of business administration (MBA) in August of 2017 with a 3.82 GPA, and he also graduated magna cum laude in August of 2016 with his bachelor’s degree in business administration.
A member of the Arkansas State chancellor’s list, dean’s list, athletics director’s honor roll and Sun Belt Conference commissioner’s list, Taylor earned both degrees in less than four years, a feat that gave him the distinction of being the only current player at that time in the Football Bowl Subdivision to earn both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees before the start of his true senior season.
Taylor and his sister, Dr. Starr Taylor, who was a guard on the women’s basketball team at Arkansas State, created a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called “The Power of 1 or 2,” which works with underprivileged, at-risk children.
Following his stellar career at Arkansas State, Taylor played in the 2018 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, where he led the National Team with seven tackles, including 1.0 tackles for loss. He also returned one punt for 10 yards.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Taylor participated in the New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp in May of 2018.