Glenside native, Jackson Taylor is now in his third season with the Golden Rams. Back in 2018, he was drawn to West Chester University’s football program, coaches and campus. I think I can speak for all WCU football fans when I say that he absolutely made the right choice. As an underclassman, he was a part of two solid teams. “I think individually they were decent, but not perfect, there is always room for improvement,” said Taylor. “Going into a new season I always focus on doing better than the last and improving on any weaknesses.” Now, as a junior, Taylor has found himself a new position: team captain.
He has taken on the leadership role in a distinctive way. Not only does he dominate on the defensive side of the field, but he also knows how to take control of and lead the team. “Being one of the leaders on the team has allowed me to become a more levelheaded person,” said Taylor. “In the game of football there are a lot of ups and downs, so it is important for leaders to stay calm and keep everyone on board.” Taylor further stated that his greatest football accomplishment was being named one of the team captains. “It means that your teammates can look up to you as someone that they can depend on when things are not going well.”
Last season, Taylor had an unbelievable year. He was named PSAC East Defensive player of the year, first-team All-PSAC East, second-team All-D2CCA Super Region 1, and was an honorable mention All-American. Fortunately for the Golden Rams, Taylor seems to be on pace for a very similar season if not even more impressive. So far, Taylor has racked up 28 solo tackles and 61 total. In addition to his 14.5 tackles for loss, Taylor has also collected 2.5 sacks.
Earlier in the season, Taylor stated, the team gets pumped for the game the entire week before and has the most energy on game day. Along with watching film and taking notes on the opponent of the week, Taylor likes to do something else on his own time. As a linebacker, he likes to get inspiration from two of the greatest to ever play his position in the NFL. “The night before a game, I watch highlights of Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis to get mentally prepared,” said Taylor. Watching these highlights allow Taylor to lock in and envision how influential he can be on the field.
The Golden Ram’s next matchup will be against the undefeated Shepherd University at Farrell Stadium on Oct. 22. Come out to see the Rams and Jackson Taylor in action!
Rebecca Arnold is a third-year English major with a minor in journalism.