Taylor looks noticeably bulkier and sturdier compared to the end of the 2018 season — he doesn't look like a freshman anymore — and was vocal during drills with Tennessee's other defensive backs, set the tone during a get-off-the-line/press-coverage drill against the wide receivers and lauded his teammates when they followed him example-setting reps with a good one of their own.
Between starting his career on offense and his eye-catching presence on Thursday, Taylor started nine games as a freshman, recorded 40 tackles, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups and finished among the highest-graded true freshmen at his position in college football in what was a solid debut season in 2018.
The Vols will be expecting more from Taylor this season now that he's locked into playing defense.
"I think for one, he wants to be a DB now," Vols coach
Jeremy Pruitt said after Thursday's opening practice. "When we moved him last spring, he probably didn't. When you want to do something, you put more time into it, and I think that he's probably done that. He's put a lot of time, I think, in the offseason. I think with (defensive coordinator and defensive backs) Coach
(Derrick) Ansley, those guys, I see those guys watching tape a lot. So I think that there will be improvement just from being comfortable with the position."