Recruiting Report: Jason Taylor (2018)
One of Iowa’s biggest and most sought-after posts, Rock Valley’s 6-foot-10 Jason Taylor nabbed a couple Division I offers early in high high school career, and has other programs hanging around.
North Dakota and South Dakota State both offered Taylor two summer ago when he was a 15U prospect with Martin Brothers. The North Dakota relationship has been ongoing, but Taylor was left unsure about his SDSU offer after the coaching change that placed former Iowa State assistant TJ Otzelberger at the helm.
“It’s all good stuff with North Dakota. (Jeff) Horner is the main guy who I’m in contact with, and their elite camp is coming up in mid-June and I believe I’m going to that,” said Taylor.
“The South Dakota State one is up in the air ever since their coach went away.”
As he approaches his final grassroots summer, Taylor mentioned a slew of schools that are still in the mix.
“For schools that I think are close to offering, I really have no idea. Albany contacted me yesterday, Iowa has been hitting me with some stuff and UNI, Nebraska-Omaha, USD, Augustana (SD) a little bit.”
With sheer size and and an established ability to control the paint, Taylor will turn a lot of heads this summer with Martin Brothers 17U. And it’s his ability to work outwards towards the perimeter that he’s hoping to display, in addition this prowess in the paint.
“I would say my shooting has gotten a lot better, I’ve been working on that a bunch. My quickness laterally has gotten a lot better, vertical is in the works yet,” said Taylor.
“I’m probably just going to continue to work my game outwards, my five game is the majority of what I’m built around, and I’m just trying to work out to the perimeter more.”
After having shoulder surgery last fall, Taylor missed the first part of his junior season with the Rockets. He came back for the second part of the season and averaged 12.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game.
“Even after I came back it was still just a work in progress, trying to get back into the feeling of everything and all that stuff,” said Taylor. “Later in the year it felt good again and I was feeling like myself, and I had a stretch of 20-point games late, and it was a whole lot of fun.”
The main objective for this summer with Martin Bros? Keep extending his game outward, and keep dominating the paint.
“So far everything has gone pretty well this offseason. I rebound a bunch and block shots, all that type of stuff. I’m happy with what I’m doing,” said Taylor. “And some of my goals for this summer are to just keep working my game out to the perimeter.”