51 Days to Purdue Football: Nick Taylor

Today’s player is what this countdown is all about.

For every Aidan O’connell as the starting quarterback there is a backup longsnapper just trying to see the field once in his career.

Nick Taylor - So.

Indianapolis, IN (Lawrence North HS)

6’4”, 225 pounds

Longsnapper

2022 Projection: Reserve

It is a long shot that we see Taylor play this year. There is only one spot available for longsnapper, and Nick Zecchino, a multi-year starter there, is back for one more season. That means Taylor is the backup, and he is the only other longsnapper on the roster.

That position has become quite specialized in recent years, complete with ratings and recruiting attention paid to it. They are still often walk-ons. Taylor comes to us from Lawrence North HS in Indianapolis, where he played as a backup QB to Indiana’s Donaven McCulley for a short time. He primarily played defense though, and he had 60 tackles, 2 sacks, and an interception as a senior in 2020. He was also a starter on the baseball team for the Wildcats, hitting a career .238 at the plate and notching four saves on the mound.

As the second longsnapper on the roster he is likely staying for a chance to start next year once Zecchino is gone.