Despite late start in football, Rice’s Gabe Taylor steps out of his late brother’s shadow

Miami is always in Gabe Taylor’s heart … and on his left leg, too.

The former Miami Gulliver Prep star — and the younger brother of the late Sean Taylor — is now a star strong safety at Rice University, one of FIU’s rivals in Conference USA.

A tattoo on Gabe Taylor’s left leg leaves no doubt about his roots as it includes the motto “305 My City” as well as depictions of palm trees, the ocean and a boat.

But Taylor is more than just Magic City swagger. Much like the marks left by the ink on his skin, Taylor has been known to tattoo opposing ballcarriers.

In just his second year at Rice, Taylor has become a starter, earning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honors last month after making a career-high 10 tackles, forcing a fumble and knocking down a Hail Mary pass to beat UAB, 30-24. Two of Taylor’s tackles forced punts.

“It was an unbelievable performance, especially for the few amount of college games he has played,” said Colin Spencer, Rice’s safeties coach.

“Gabe has a skill set you can’t teach.”

For the season, Taylor leads Rice in solo tackles with 32. He also ranks third in pass breakups (four) and fifth in total stops (43).

Taylor wears 26 — the same number made famous by his brother Sean with the Miami Hurricanes.

November 27 will mark a somber day as it will be exactly 14 years since Sean Taylor was murdered by burglars invading his home.

Gabe Taylor, 20, was 7 when his brother died.

On the field, Gabe recalls Sean often.

“Before a tackle,” Taylor told the Herald, “I’ll be thinking, ‘Sean, let’s go downhill right here’.”

There was a 17-year difference between the brothers, but Sean believed in Gabe.

“He always told our [family members] I was going to be great,” Gabe said. “I know [Sean] would be proud of me.”

Gabe, though, has taken a different route to his greatness, barely playing high school football. After competing in youth football, Gabe switched to basketball for his first three years of high school.

It wasn’t until his senior year that Taylor switched back to football, and he was an immediate star, intercepting 10 passes in 11 games, returning six of the picks for touchdowns.

“Any time I catch the ball and I’m on my two feet, I’m going to the crib,” Taylor said of his plans for the end zone.

Taylor’s highlight reel — and his bloodlines — drew attention from recruiters and fans.

Hurricanes coaches visited Gulliver three times to see him, Taylor said. But Taylor felt that the real heat was Miami’s fans — not Hurricanes coaches.

“I was getting a pick every week,” Taylor said. “Miami fans loved me. But I didn’t want a fan offer. I was looking for a program that really wanted me.

“Rice really wanted me.”

In fact, Rice wanted him so badly that Cedric Calhoun — the Owls’ recruiter in charge of South Florida and an ex-FIU assistant coach under Mario Cristobal from 2010 to 2012 — told Taylor he would get fired if he couldn’t bring him back to his school’s Houston campus.

Taylor, who said he doesn’t recall FIU ever pursuing him, was a three-star recruit. In fact, when he signed in February of 2020, he became the highest-rated recruit in Rice football history.

“His tape was a no-brainer,” Spencer said. “The type of plays he was making are not taught. You either have that ability or you don’t, and you can’t pass on that type of talent.”

Taylor’s size was certainly an issue for some schools. Unlike Sean Taylor’s chiseled frame of 6-2 and 230 pounds, Gabe finished high school at 5-10 and 174 pounds. He then dropped to 165 after testing positive for COVID.

Now though, Taylor is up to 190 pounds, and he is playing what Spencer said is the most important position on Rice’s defense.

“The strong safety has to get our defense lined up,” Spencer said. “He’s on the third level and has the best visual.

“Gabe also has to cover the opposing team’s best slot receiver. As much man defense as we play, that’s as hard as it gets, but Gabe has an incredible knack for communicating and covering. Maybe it’s because of his basketball background.”

Clearly, Taylor has earned trust.

“We know Gabe is capable,” Spencer said. “He’s a confident kid. He never feels inferior to anyone on the field.”

Sean Taylor wouldn’t want it any other way.