Kelvin Taylor set to make his commitment
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For Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Day running back Kelvin Taylor, the chance to follow in his father's footsteps may come as early as this weekend.
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Fred Taylor, Kelvin's father, spent 12 years in the National Football League with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New England Patriots. He also won a national championship while at the University of Florida.
Now Kelvin is poised to make one of the biggest decisions of his young life.
The younger Taylor has announced he will make his verbal commitment this weekend.
Kelvin Taylor is expected to attend Florida's 'Junior Days' in Gainesville, and said Florida and "Alabama are the final two."
"It really comes down to Florida or Alabama," Taylor said. "I really love Florida, great program and great tradition and coaching staff. Alabama does too."
If you're reading into that statement - that might not be a bad thing.
The pressure to follow a legend grows exponentially when that legend is your own father.
""my dad tells me to just make my own decision. It's going to be my four years. He's given me a couple of tips but hasn't put any pressure on me," Taylor said. "He wants me to pick a great school and get a school with great academics. Both my dad and my mom say it's about me and not about them."
Making the decision early allows Kelvin Taylor to focus on other things - and not recruiting.
"I want to make this decision early so I can focus on football and get ready for my senior year," Taylor said.
Still, living in Belle Glade - where Fred Taylor is a household name and highly revered, Kelvin said watching football with his dad is an experience.
"A lot of folks say I grew up in my dad's shadow - it's a blessed experience," Kelvin Taylor said. "I've gotten a chance to do things with my dad that other kids didn't. I've taken a couple of tips from my dad's playing career both in college and the pros."
Even watching a football game on television gives the father a chance to 'coach up' his son.
"We'll be watching a game and he'll pause the game sometimes and talk about different defense coverage and different ways to read defense that makes your running style that much easier," Taylor said. "Different ways that makes your game better."
This weekend, the younger Taylor could take one more step towards following in his father's footsteps.
"I am going to make it official."