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Drake defensive end Dain Taylor catching eye of NFL

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/art...ing-eye-of-NFL


Drake defensive end Dain Taylor is grabbing attention.

Going into Saturday night's football opener against Lehigh at Drake Stadium, Taylor has been a staple on preseason all-America teams for the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA.

And he has drawn the interest of NFL scouts, who wonder if his blend of size and speed might make him a pro prospect as an outside linebacker.

But Taylor isn't thinking about how good he is, only how good he wants to become.

"There's always someone out there that's better," Taylor said. "You can never be satisfied. As long as I can strive to try to be perfect, I can come closer to achieving my potential."

One of those challenges will come Saturday, when Taylor goes against Will Rackley, Lehigh's all-Patriot League offensive tackle.

Taylor, who was all-Pioneer League as a junior, is a fifth-year senior who weighed 200 pounds when he arrived at Drake. Now, he has 250 pounds packed on his 6-foot-3 frame.
"He's one of those guys that in basketball, you'd call a gym rat," Drake coach Chris Creighton said. "In football, it's just a passion for the game. He's thinking about it and working to be his best all the time. He's disciplined his body to maximize every ounce of talent that he has, and he's very athletic."

NFL teams have noticed. Scouts from the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings visited Drake last spring to watch both Taylor and fellow defensive end Andrew Asbell. The New England Patriots came last week and the Baltimore Ravens have called.
"He's definitely on the radar," Creighton said.

And playing pro ball is on Taylor's radar. He will graduate with a business degree, but he wants to play football for as long as he can.

"That would be the experience of a lifetime," Taylor said. "It's always been my dream to play in the NFL. To even get a tryout and put on a team's jersey and be with the best players would be awesome."
 
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