Drc 1st Fb Commitment Hillcrest Athlete Will Play For Mg

[OldTimer]

Football: Hillcrest athlete will play for Mean Green

11:46 PM CDT on Tuesday, May 29, 2007

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

Willie Taylor hasn't had a chance to show what he can do as a wide receiver in the last few years of his football career.

That situation should change when Dallas Hillcrest's do-it-all athlete arrives at North Texas. Taylor said Tuesday that he has orally committed to play for UNT and will join the Mean Green's 2008 recruiting class.

Taylor will be a senior at Hillcrest this fall.

"I really liked the environment and the coaches at North Texas," Taylor said. "I felt like it would be a good situation for me."

Oral commitments are non-binding. The first day recruits can sign national letters of intent is Feb. 7, 2008.

Taylor (6-0, 165) has spent the last two years playing quarterback and filling a variety of roles for Hillcrest, but will move to slot receiver with the Mean Green.

Taylor had a scholarship offer from Tulsa, while Utah was also recruiting him.

"Willie will be a great player up there," Hillcrest coach Andy Todd said. "Anyone who got him would be lucky. He is just a really solid, good football player. I have never clocked him in the 40 [yard dash], but he is football fast and plays big. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he can do a lot with it."

Todd is heading into his first year as the head coach at Hillcrest, but has already gotten a feel for Taylor's talents during offseason workouts. Todd also saw Taylor play while coaching at Haltom last season.

Taylor threw for 1,634 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior last season while rushing for 739 yards and seven more touchdowns. He has been a first-team All-District 9-4A selection each of the last two seasons.

Taylor should have an opportunity to improve on those numbers this fall.

"I am going to move around," Taylor said. "I am going to play quarterback, wide receiver and running back."

Todd said he wants to get the ball into Taylor's hands as often as he can to take advantage of his big-play ability.

Taylor will work with wide receivers coach Clayton George at UNT, which will be a familiar situation. George was once Taylor's head coach at Hillcrest.

"Playing for coach George will be a familiar feeling," Taylor said. "He did a good job of motivating me in high school."

Taylor visited UNT's campus a few weeks ago when the Mean Green held a junior day workout. UNT's staff got back in touch with Taylor early this week and offered him a scholarship.

The opportunity to play for Dodge in a spread offense that is similar to what he runs as the quarterback at Hillcrest was too good for Taylor to pass up.

"It's a good feeling to get a chance to play for coach Dodge," Taylor said. "North Texas is close to home, so my family can come and see my games."

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

[Harry]

"North Texas is close to home, so my family can come and see my games."

I think that will be a recurring theme in our recruiting from now on...as well it should be.

[GreenBat]

This kid is the 4A version of William Cole, the OSU signee that led Cedar Hill to the 5A Div. 2 title. He is a do-it-all type player, who will be a STUD as a slot reciever. He would also be a great DB.

[CorinthEagle]

Now how many kids will read this in the paper, internet, etc.... and start thinking that maybe NT is no longer a "2nd choice" school when it comes to deciding where to play college football? The buzz about our school in DFW is continuing to grow. Heck, I got an e-mail from someone in Atlanta this morning about this commit.

[UNTFan23]

One of the things I like the most is he was visiting North Texas as a junior for a workout session with the coaching staff and we were recruiting him then.

The difference is just night and day.