Michigan Football Signee Bio: Defensive End Taylor Upshaw
Bradenton (Fla.) Braden River three-star strongside defensive end Taylor Upshaw is officially a part of the Michigan football program.
Measurables
• Claims a 315-pound bench press and a 510-pound squat.
Statistics
• As a senior, tallied 33 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He also had an interception that he returned for a touchdown and broke up a pass.
• During his junior season, Upshaw recorded 17 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also broke up three passes and cause and recovered a fumble.
Recruitment
• Was happily committed to Florida for about five months before Jim McElwain was fired.
• Michigan offered, the coaching staff impressed Upshaw, he officially visited Ann Arbor and ultimately committed on Nov. 24, the night before the Ohio State game.
Notable
• Born on Aug. 13, 1999.
• Father, Regan Upshaw, played football at Cal, where he was an All-American before being selected No. 12 overall by the Buccaneers in the 1996 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL for nine years for the Bucs, Jaguars, Raiders, Redskins and Giants before retiring after the 2004 season.
• Older brother, Regan Upshaw Jr., is a walk-on linebacker at Clemson.
• Only played football as a junior and senior.
• Has been home-schooled for his entire life.
2018 Projection
Sophomore end Rashan Gary and redshirt junior Chase Winovich were massively productive in 2017 and provided a nice one-two punch as pass rushers. Inside, redshirt junior Bryan Mone and true freshman Aubrey Solomon saw significant playing time and sophomore Michael Dwumfour impressed as well. Despite losing star tackle Mo Hurst in 2018, the D-line should be very solid again, especially if Winovich returns for a fifth year.
Carlo Kemp will be a junior next year and provided solid depth when Gary came out of the game. Defensive end Reuben Jones likely won't return next year for a fifth year, while redshirt sophomore Ron Johnson has yet to contribute. Kwity Paye will be a true sophomore next fall and appears to have a bright future. Luiji Vilain was receiving a ton of praise before getting hurt and will likely be a contributor next year as a redshirt freshman.
With so much depth, Upshaw likely won't be needed as a true freshman in 2018, but as an early enrollee his growth could really take off. He could very well take a redshirt next fall, but it's always tough to project guys with untapped potential (not to mention his bloodlines) who will be around for spring ball. The more time he has bulk up and develop physically, the quicker he'll get on the field. He might be called upon to break into the two deep in 2019.
They Said It
Rivals.com Southeast recruiting analyst Rob Cassidy: "Upshaw has impressive strength and the frame of a college-ready prospect. His raw power isn’t in doubt. On Friday nights he’s a bully, oftentimes overpowering offensive tackles. He has enough speed to close on most high school quarterbacks and shows impressive athleticism as well."
Braden River head coach Curt Bradley: "He’s got so much length and athleticism that I think he’s most comfortable pass rushing right now. The hand placement and getting off of blocks will come with time; pad level, too. Those things will definitely help him improve in the run game, but he’s done a lot of good things for us. He’s played inside and outside and he’s got the ability to play all over."
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