When it comes to Purdue NFL prospects, don't forget about CB Reese Taylor
Reese Taylor wasn’t one of the five Purdue players at the NFL Combine, but he is an intriguing prospect who could sneak into the draft.
The former Boilermaker cornerback added to the intrigue by performing well at Purdue’s Pro Day earlier this month, posting some impressive numbers that compared favorably to the corners at the NFL Combine.
• 40-yard dash: 4.45
• Vertical: 38.5″
• 3-cone: 6.63
• Shuttle: 4.07
Taylor showed explosiveness and speed at Purdue’s Pro Day. His 4.45 40 was the fastest of the five players who ran one at Purdue’s Pro Day. His 38.5″ vertical, 6.63 three-cone and 10’4″ broad jump also were the best of the day.
Now, the 5-11, 190-pound Taylor is drawing interest from NFL teams, likely being a priority free-agent. But, Taylor could be a late-round pick in the draft, which runs April 27-29 in Kansas City.
Taylor has in-person meetings set up with the Chargers and Colts and has spoken to other NFL teams, as well.
Taylor was primarily a field corner in college but figures to be a nickel in the pros. NFL teams typically use a nickel corner (as opposed to a linebacker or big safety) in passing situations. Nickels require short-area quickness, which Taylor displayed at Purdue’s Pro Day. He also has a skill-set suited to special teams, returning punts at Indiana.
The Indianapolis Ben Davis product–Indiana Mr. Football in 2017–spent his first four seasons at Indiana, where he began as a quarterback before transitioning to the secondary. Taylor transferred to Purdue for his final season in 2022, starting 13 games and making 34 tackles with an interceptions and four PBUs.
“It was a long journey out of high school,” he said. “I played only quarterback. My first couple of years at Indiana, I was playing both sides. So, there were a lot of things being thrown at me. And I had to really just focus in on what I had to do.
“Now, to fully transition to DB, I really had to take everything in and make sure that I was doing the best to my ability to understand what I had to do.”
Was the move from Bloomington to West Lafayette a good one for Taylor?
“It was a great move,” he said. “It was a good opportunity for me and I had to take it. I just had to trust God. And he led me here and that’s what I had to do.”
MORE: Purdue Pro Day notebook
