Tracking the Preaux Career of Ike Taylor

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On the outside, rookie Ike Taylor takes good news in the stride of a veteran cornerback

On the outside, rookie Ike Taylor takes good news in the stride of a veteran cornerback. That's how he acted when his coach told him Wednesday he was promoted to play in all of the Steelers pass defenses this week.

"I'm trying to keep my composure," said Taylor, 23. "I'm trying to act like a vet, like I've been doing this."

And how would he be if he weren't trying so hard not to show emotion?

"Jumping up and down like a little kid," Taylor said.

If Taylor can play well enough in the nickel and dime defenses, he will have teammates, coaches and front office men jumping up and down like little kids. With the Steelers dying for some good play at cornerback, they turned to Taylor and veteran Deshea Townsend.

Coach Bill Cowher benched veteran right cornerback Dewayne Washington in all defenses and promoted Townsend from No. 3 corner to starter. Taylor moves up in the nickel and dime and has a chance to show everyone the Steelers made a brilliant move when they drafted him in the fourth round last April from Louisiana.

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Ed Bouchette

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers...eele1106p2.asp

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Mark's Madness: Steelers make history with worst draft pick ever

Wednesday, April 30, 2003
The Steelers made history Sunday. They made their worst draft pick ever.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. I like a good bad draft choice. I derived as much enjoyment from the reigns of error provided by Troy Edwards, Jamain Stephens and Deon Figures as I did from the Super Bowl years. Being indescribably bad is often more intriguing than being incomparably good.

Which brings us to Ike Taylor, the Steelers' fourth-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette.

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nominees for AFC Special Teams Player of Week 11 were:

. . . Pittsburgh kick returner Ike Taylor, who returned three kicks for 71 yards (23.7 average), including a long return of 36 yards.

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Deshea Townsend continued to play well, with a game-best three pass break-ups, and rookie Ike Taylor continued to look as if he belongs.

Maybe the Steelers do have some cornerbacks who can cover people.

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CB Ike Taylor, a fourth-round draft pick, became the first rookie to start a game this season for the Steelers. He opened at right cornerback in their base defense. The Steelers started three cornerbacks and removed S Mike Logan because the Browns opened with three wide receivers and one tight end. The Steelers also played a lot of nickel and dime defense, and that put Taylor, No. 1 pick Troy Polamalu and second-year safety Chris Hope on the field at the same time for a lot of plays. Some think those three will be the cornerstone of their secondary of the future, perhaps as early as next year. "It looks like it could be a good secondary one day," Hope said. "We just have to continue to get better, just like we did today. I think our secondary, each and every one of us, made a play today." Hope had three unassisted tackles, and Taylor and Polamalu three tackles total. Polamalu, though, was charged with three penalties, two holding and an offside.

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CB Ike Taylor, a fourth-round pick from Louisiana, became the first rookie to start a game for the Steelers this season. He opened instead of safety Mike Logan because Pittsburgh wanted to use three corners to cover the Browns' three wide receivers.

a link to the info.

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IKE MEETS MEL

Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount visited the team at practice yesterday, and rookie cornerback Ike Taylor made sure he introduced himself.

"I don't remember him," said Taylor, who was 3-years-old when Blount retired in 1983. "But when I got to the Steelers, I learned all about him. If you play for the Steelers in the secondary, you have to know about Mr. Mel Blount."

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Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor strips the ball from Oakland Raiders receiver Jerry Rice, who received a lucky bounce and landed on the ball, ending up with a 16-yard gain in the fourth quarter. Photo by John Beale / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (12/7/03)

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The Steelers have found a potent one-two punch for punt and kickoff returns with Antwaan Randle El and rookie Ike Taylor.

Randle El is averaging 12.2 yards per punt return -- fourth in the AFC -- and Taylor gets 22.8 on kickoffs -- 10th in the conference.

Of Randle El, Cowher said: "No one knows exactly where he is going to end up. It's fun to watch."

Of Taylor, Cowher said: "He just goes. He sees a crease, and he goes."

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By Jerry DiPaola
TRIBUNE-REVIEW

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Rookie Ike Taylor had just one wish on Sunday, aside from a victory. He wanted to shake hands with Raiders wide receiver Jerry Rice.

In the fourth quarter, he probably had his best chance when Taylor tackled Rice after just his second reception of the day.

After the game Taylor had his picture taken with him.

"I said, 'Jerry, I need to see you," said Taylor. "I need to take a picture.' He was like, 'Cool.'"

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