How Much Will Raiders Rookie Trey Taylor Contribute Year 1?

Las Vegas Raiders rookie safety Trey Taylor has a unique trait that could allow him to contribute right away.

Oct 9, 2021; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Air Force Falcons safety Trey Taylor (7) tackles Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Sean Chambers (2) in the first quarter at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Air Force safety Trey Taylor in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

He was one of three defensive backs the Raiders brought in, along with Mississippi State cornerback Decamerion Richardson and Pittsburgh cornerback M.J. Devonshire. 

Taylor is an intriguing prospect. He played in the Mountain West, which is not a Power Four school, but he won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2023, given to the nation’s best defensive back. 

Taylor posted 205 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, 13 passes defended, two and a half sacks, and six interceptions in his Falcons career. He was named a First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Mountain West last season, along with his Jim Thorpe.

With Taylor’s skill set and the Raiders’ current safety outlook, how much could Taylor contribute in his rookie season for the Silver and Black?

Let’s first evaluate Taylor’s body of work. He is a 6-foot tall, 205-pound safety with the build of a cornerback. He has long, effective strides when attacking downhill and has the smarts to be a ball-hawking defensive back. 

What separates Taylor is his work ethic, leadership, and high-level character. As a member of the Armed Forces, Taylor has all the natural traits to be successful and has applied them to the football field. 

While the Raiders have several talented players, none possess the natural abilities Taylor does, which could give him a leg up in athletic areas where he may be lacking. 

Looking at the safeties on the Raiders’ depth chart, the starting spots are comfortably locked up by Marcus Epps and Tre’von Moehrig. Taylor has a chance to be the third safety, but he would likely compete with Isaiah Pola-Mao, who looks primed for a breakout season. 

Taylor will have the preseason to show the Raiders what he can do. Guaranteed starters play sparingly in the preseason, so Taylor could earn a significant amount of snaps and prove he belongs on the field when the regular season rolls around. 

To answer the question about what Taylor can bring to the Raiders in his first season, we won’t see him play starter-level snaps. However, his want-to will likely earn him at least a couple hundred snaps, so he should see the field in some capacity.

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