2024 Early Enrollee Alex Taylor on Experience Already in Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL – Alex Taylor ranks near the top of North Carolina’s 2024 recruiting class, coming in as the No. 197 overall prospect and fifth-best in the state.
The four-star wideout sits 35th nationally at his position and is an early enrollee for Mack Brown and the UNC football program.
Taylor, a former standout at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, recorded 63 receptions for 1,067 and 14 touchdowns as a senior. He helped lead the Whirlies to a 13-1 record following a NCHSAA championship appearance in 2022.
Ahead of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and the spring semester, Taylor took part in practice and bowl game prep for the Tar Heels.
Following a week in Chapel Hill, he spoke with the media to discuss his experience as a Tar Heel.
Below is a transcript of the interview with Taylor and his official bio from UNC:
An early enrollee who is a four-star prospect ranked as the nation’s 38th-best wide receiver and the No. 4 player in North Carolina by Rivals
• A three-time all-conference and two-time all-area performer
• Tallied 175 receptions for 2,825 yards and 33 TDs over his four-year prep career
• Also had three INTs and a forced fumble on defense
• Notched 63 receptions for 1,067 yards and 14 TDs as a senior
• Caught 65 passes for 1,034 yards and 12 TDs as a junior
• Posted 44 receptions for 682 yards and seven TDs as a sophomore
• Added three receptions for 42 yards as a freshman
• Also played basketball
• A member of the Deca Club and the Spanish Honors Society
• Coached by Darryl Brown.
Q: Do you have to do anything [as a rookie], since you are fresh off the high school boat?
TAYLOR: “So far, no, but I definitely expect it in the future. I can’t say I’ll be surprised.”
Q: What's the value of coming early and what are you getting out of this week practicing with the team?
TAYLOR: “Like I said, learn the playbook a little more getting here early. We haven’t lifted yet, but we’ll do that more in the spring. Getting our bodies adjusted and the little bit I have been here, I’ve been getting in with the players against teams, against more of the defense. We’re still doing signals, so learning those and I’ve been doing a little bit with that. I'll definitely say I’ve gotten a little head start more than that and I feel like enrolling earlier helps you play as a freshman.”
Q: When you walk in the locker room here, there are dudes everywhere. What was that like being one of a hundred guys instead of being the man?
TAYLOR: “I never tried to walk into high school like ‘I’m that guy.’ It’s cool. I like the competition. Everyone around me is going to make me better, just learning from them, trying to see what I can pick up off of them, and put it into my game. It’s been exciting [and] everybody treats us just like [one of] them. Knowing them before I came here helped with that transition as well.”
Q: A lot of people thought because of your recruitment that you might go somewhere else. Why did you stay close to home and why did you choose this place?
TAYLOR: “I wouldn’t say it (UNC) being close to my hometown played a big factor, but Coach Galloway, Molly [Jacoby], and Alex White, they played a big part. Coach Brown [as well], and some of the players, speaking to them, asking them how they liked it, and how Coach Galloway talked to them during their recruiting process transitioning in. He’s kept it real with me since the beginning, and I’m still seeing that right now as I’ve been here these first few days.”
Q: Khalil [Conley] said that you guys are going slowly, but there’s a lot of critiquing going on. What critiquing have you gotten so far on things that need to be refined that [you] could get away with in high school, but you can’t here?
TAYLOR: “Going against better defensive backs that’re going to break on the ball fast, I’ve been doing a lot of simple stuff that I haven’t mastered yet with Coach Scott, like breaking down my routes and not doing false steps so DBs can’t get a route indicator. I’ve been doing a lot of that. Me and Jordan [Shipp] before practice might be with [Coach Scott], or in a team period, we’ll be with Coach Scott just trying to get the basics down.”
Q: Is the mission here to play right away?
TAYLOR: “Yes sir.”
Q: Now that you’ve been here a week, do you think that you might be a guy that is on track for that?
TAYLOR: “I definitely feel like I can. [I] just have to stay the course. I haven’t been doing any classes yet, so got to manage that as well. Coming into the spring, I’m looking forward to learning more about the playbook, starting with the basics again, and I feel like I can compete for a spot.”
Q: How much fun is it?
TAYLOR: “It’s been super fun. Just being here, away from home, it’s been amazing.”