Georgia Football Receiver Receives High Praise From Kirby Smart
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ATHENS - Georgia Bulldog wide receiver Talyn Taylor is coming into his own.
We didn’t see much from the former five-star prospect last year, mostly due to injuries, but we’ve seen a lot of him to start this 2026 season.
The promising sophomore caught a pass on the first offensive play of the year and has found the end-zone in both games. In total, the 6-foot-0 190-pounder from Geneva, Illinois, has caught five passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also carried the ball once for 31 yards.
The talent has always been there. He’s a gifted player with excellent burst and the ability to get open. He didn’t take advantage of his big opportunity against the Tide last year, but right now, he’s playing like a major weapon in the passing game.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart had a lot to say about his second-year wideout during his weekly press conference on Monday.
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“He's had more opportunities to make plays,” Smart said about Taylor this week. “Number one, he's been healthy. He would've been doing what he's doing now last year had he been healthy the whole time. He was an up-and-coming player. He was rising, runs good routes. He's explosive. He takes pride in his blocking, takes pride in his performance. He works hard at things that he still needs to improve on.”
“He's got a lot of energy, Smart added. “He's a ball of energy. He's always wanting to celebrate and be excited. He loves the game. He has passion for the game, and you don't want to take that out of anyone. I'm pleased with where he's at. We’ve got to do a good job keeping him healthy and continuing to grow him and be scheme diverse.”
There’s a lot to like from what we’ve seen out of Taylor so far this season. The shifty wideout has proven to be dangerous in the open field who can help carry the ball out of the backfield. He gets up the field quickly and does a good job of following his blocks after the catch. He can get open and has shown strong ball skills through the first two games of the season.
If Georgia’s offense wants to thrive against top defenses, Taylor will have to play at a high level. His potential is easy to see, and when it’s time for the starters to make big plays down the stretch, look for Taylor to be one of the first receivers Stockton looks for.
