Devin Taylor: Virginia Tech safety no longer with team

Devin Taylor, a senior defensive back, is no longer with the Virginia Tech football program according to Hokies’ head coach Justin Fuente.

The announcement was made during Fuente’s Wednesday press conference.

Justin Fuente is here speaking with reporters. Safety Devin Taylor is not with the team anymore. #Hokies

— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) August 18, 2021

After gauging his stock in the upcoming NFL Draft, the Virginia Tech defensive back opted to return to college for the 2021 season.

Taylor was limited to open fall camp from a leg injury he suffered at the end of spring. He was competing for the starting spot alongside Devon Hunter at boundary safety. 

Devin Taylor impressed coaching staff ahead of spring camp

“Dev, to me, is a DB,” Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Hamilton said of Taylor in February. “I don’t think you label him as a corner, I don’t think you label him as a safety. We’ll see. We’ll start him where he was at the end of the season because he developed and learned a lot. I think the biggest thing for him this spring is to put him situationally that – whether he’s playing on the board that it says corner or on the board it says safety – he’s playing in spots where he’s playing some man-to-man, he’s playing some short zone coverages, he’s playing some deep zone coverages and he’s blitzing. Then I think we’ll have a better idea of what he does well and what he does best or what his limitations may be and we’ll be able him in spots to better accent the good traits that he has.”

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder transferred to Virginia Tech in August last year from Illinois State. He earned All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First-Team honors in 2019 at corner. He led the league with 24 passes defended and had five interceptions.