Miami Football: DL Coach Jason Taylor rises to top 5 ACC recruiter
The commitment from a four-star edge rusher Booker Pickett on Thursday night elevated Miami defensive line coach Jason Taylor to the fifth-best recruiter in the ACC in the 2024 cycle. The 2024 Miami football class is now 10th nationally. Miami wide receiver coach Kevin Beard is the top 2024 ACC recruiter.
Taylor has been exceptional in his first year as an assistant coach and recruiter at the college level. The Pro Football Hall of Famer was a defensive analyst for Miami in 2022. Before being hired by Mario Cristobal for a position with the Miami football program, Taylor was an assistant coach at perennial power St. Thomas Aquinas.
Taylor previously was credited with Miami gaining commitments from 2024 four-star edge rushers Marquise Lightfoot and Elias Rudolph and 2025 defensive lineman Armando Blount. Pickett is the 240th-ranked player in the 2024 Class and the 19th edge rusher. Pickett is the third highest ranked Miami commit credited to Taylor.
Pickett and his father (who was a Miami linebacker and DL) both credited Taylor as being a significant reason for his commitment to Miami. Hayes Fawcett of On3 interviewed Pickett Jr. about his commitment to Miami. Taylor’s history is playing a big role in Miami attracting elite DL.
#GoCanes 1000% COMMITTED! 🧡💚@canesfootball @coach_cristobal@jasontaylor @coach_addae @dtrain2901 @Coach_Baham @DrPickettPhD 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UhfnrPsINb
— Booker “ B9 ” Pickett jr. (@pickett_booker) October 19, 2023
"“Coach Taylor has been in my position and being coached by a Hall of Famer is great. He knows what it takes for me to make it to the next level…Coach Taylor has been to my school multiple times and has told me I fit perfectly in his scheme. Me and him are really close.”"
Lightfoot is the 58th ranked 2024 prospect and sixth edge rusher and Rudolph is the 301st ranked prospect and 24th edge rusher. Lightfoot is the second highest ranked player in the 2024 Miami class behind four-safety Zaquan Patterson. Miami also has a commitment from three-star DL Daylen Russell.
Miami 2024 class top 10 with Booker Pickett commitment. dark. Next
Gaby Urrutia of Inside the U quoted Pickett as saying “That defense is the real deal. I love the way they attack the ball, control the line of scrimmage, all that. It was real cool. I liked it.” Taylor has been a major part of the play of the Miami DL this season. Expect that to continue to impact Miami recruiting positively.