A roller coaster ride is one way to describe the past six years for former South Pike Eagle Davion Taylor.
His football career features a myriad of stops at different colleges and pro organizations, and it’s now landed him over 1,500 miles away from his hometown of Magnolia.
Taylor signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League on March 18 of this year. If you aren’t familiar, the nine-team CFL has been around since 1958 and plays its games from June to November, with the esteemed Grey Cup being the ultimate prize.
Through eight games with the Redblacks, Taylor has recorded 18 total tackles on defense and seven on special teams. At 5-2-1 and second place in the East Division, Ottawa sits in prime position to qualify for the CFL Playoffs in November.
The former South Pike Eagle notably only appeared in two high school games due to his religious affiliation. But, he did go on to play at Coahoma Community College upon turning 18, and his production there allowed him to transfer to Colorado in 2018. The linebacker recorded 128 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks in two seasons with the Buffaloes.
Taylor was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, although he was placed on injured reserve in December of that same year. He returned in 2021 and even held a starting role in Week Six, but a MCL injury in November put a halt to his season. He was then released, re-signed and released again by the Eagles.
“It kind of got to me at first because before I got injured, I had never sat on the sidelines, I was playing in games all of my life,” Taylor said of the injury, explaining that he did not fully trust the knee following surgery.
But, he acknowledged that teams had to make business decisions, citing the reality that there is always someone out there who is younger and cheaper for an organization to pursue. Taylor added that his time spent on the sidelines taught him about how, in the NFL, a player has to come back from injury even stronger than they were before if they want to have a chance to play again.
From there, Taylor was signed and subsequently released by the Chicago Bears in August of 2023. The Arizona Cardinals then signed him to their practice squad in September, released him in October but then re-signed Taylor in December. Following the conclusion of the season, Taylor thought he would receive a call to participate in the club’s Organized Team Activities, but he never did.
Taylor and his agent discovered that many NFL teams were scared to sign him due to his injury history and lack of recent game film. After all, he had not played consistently in roughly three years.
Taylor and his agent got into contact with a handful of CFL clubs, and Ottawa was the first to respond with a formal offer: Sign with the Redblacks by the end of the week, or the organization would have to offer another of the many U.S. athletes that attempt to play in the CFL.
“I had thought about the situation and knew that the biggest thing for me to get back into the NFL was that teams just wanted to see me play,” Taylor said. “They wanted to see if I could still do what I did coming out of college.”
Thus, Taylor signed a one-year deal with the Redblacks. His primary goal now is to put together enough quality film to show NFL teams that he can still play at the same level he did when he left Colorado.
“It’s still professional and, yes, it's a pay cut, but I’m still able to play the game I love,” Taylor said of his move to the CFL. “So my biggest thing now is to come up here, make some plays and show the NFL that I can still play.”
Ideally, he aims to earn a shot to participate in a NFL team’s OTA period following the conclusion of the current CFL season.
Taylor also has different responsibilities with the Redblacks. After playing in the WILL linebacker spot for much of his career, Ottawa shifted him to the MIKE position. The new role means that Taylor is in charge of handling all of the defensive play calls, shifts and adjustments on the field. He said that it’s made him a better player overall, improving his understanding of the game on his way to getting back to his old self.
“Every single week I’m seeing myself get back to the player I was before I got injured, and that’s what I wanted to see when I got up here,” Taylor said.
And, of course, the CFL has some different rules compared to American football. For instance, Canadian fields are 110 by 65 yards, with the midfield line being placed at the 55. A dozen players line up for each team on a given play, there are only three opportunities to gain a first down per possession and any offensive player can be in motion prior to the ball being snapped. Oh, and field goal posts are at the front of the end zone, not the back.
Thus, it’s safe to say that there has been an adjustment period for Taylor.
He cited the extra man to account for and more open space as the main on-field adjustments he’s had to make, although there’s been plenty of off-field aspects he’s had to learn about as well. Taylor noted frequent rain and the diversity of Ottawa as some things that have stood out, although one food has made perhaps the biggest impression.
“One thing I’ve tried that I had never heard of was poutine,” Taylor said. “It’s like fries with potatoes on top with gravy and you can add different toppings. It can have good or bad tastes depending on what you put on it.”
Taylor also added that he’s learning a bit of French so that he can communicate with some of his teammates better, although he admits that it will be an ongoing process.
In looking back, Taylor has continually leaned on his faith and his belief in himself throughout his lengthy journey, and he doesn't plan on stopping now.
“A major thing I’ve learned is that it’s okay to leave the city and try to do something different,” Taylor said. “My biggest thing was following and trusting in God, whatever his path may be.”
Whether that path sees him stay in the CFL or eventually make his way back to the NFL, Taylor will continue to play the sport he loves and inspire a host of kids in Pike County.
After all, although he never donned the shoulder pads for South Pike, Taylor’s Philadelphia jersey still hangs proudly in the school’s locker room, a constant reminder to every player that they too can achieve their wildest dreams.
