As a sophomore last season, Talyn Taylor broke out in a big way for Geneva.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound receiver finished with 45 catches for 660 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season, putting him into the national recruiting spotlight.
For an encore, the growing Taylor set out to improve upon not relying solely on his athleticism while also becoming a better overall player as only a junior for the Vikings, who are No. 8 in the Beacon-News/Courier-News preseason rankings.
“What I was trying to clean up in the offseason was to be a smooth receiver,” Taylor said. “I was fast, but I needed to get myself under control. I feel like I’ve progressed a lot more.
“I definitely feel a lot more polished in my style all the way around.”
Taylor has been clocked at an elite 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which is why powerhouses Alabama and Georgia are among the 20-plus Division I schools that have offered him a scholarship.
That speed allowed Taylor to make up ground in the event of some sort of a mistake last season. Now, he’s added even more moves to his repertoire.
“I think you’re going to see an even better player than he was last year by a lot,” Geneva coach Boone Thorgesen said. “That’s scary to think about. I’m happy he’s on our team.”
Thorgesen can see the improvement during drills.
“It’s not only yards after the catch or just being explosive when he has the ball in his hands, but his route running, his overall game, has improved greatly,” Thorgesen said. “You’re going to see a complete package, even more so than you did last year, and he was a pretty darn good player for us.”
Nobody has seen Taylor’s development more than senior quarterback Nate Stempowski. They have worked together for three seasons, two on varsity and one on the sophomore level.
“He’s just growing as a player in every single aspect of his game,” Stempowski said. “He’s just going to keep growing as he gets older and goes on with his life in this game.
“He makes things a lot easier (for me). You can throw him any ball and he’ll catch it. If anything gets messed up, I’ve got my guy I can go to.”
Taylor’s pedigree has afforded him opportunities off the field that the majority of players don’t receive. He spent the offseason traveling the country, making stops at some of the biggest schools in the nation and training with and against elite players.
He doesn’t take those opportunities lightly.
“I value them a lot because there are a lot of great defensive backs there,” Taylor said. “When you play better competition, you get better work.”
Despite all of the hype surrounding Taylor, he tries to remain above the fray. He prefers to not pay attention to social media chatter.
According to Thorgesen, just being the player and person he has been for three years is helping keep potential distractions to a minimum.
“What makes it fun is the type of kid he is,” Thorgesen said. “He’s fun to be around. He’s just an endearing kid, and you root for kids like that. Having him with us is very special.”
Taylor is in no hurry to make a college choice, saying he hopes to have a decision before the start of his senior year. Before that, however, he has unfinished business at Geneva.
The Vikings are vying for their third straight playoff appearance, but Taylor wants more.
“We’re on the road to win a state title,” Taylor said. “That’s our goal.”
Quick Facts
Team: Geneva.
2022 record: 6-4.
Offensive leaders: Dylan Reyes, sophomore, wide receiver; Nate Stempowski, senior, quarterback; Talyn Taylor, junior, wide receiver; Troy Velez, junior, running back.
Defensive leaders: Rocco DiLeonardi, senior, defensive end; Tommy Diamond, senior, linebacker; Derek Verdone, senior, defensive end; Charlie Winterhalter, senior, defensive back.
X-factor: Michael Rumoro, junior, running back.
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
