Illinois quarterback Trae Taylor has approached his recruiting process with remarkable dedication, making it easy to forget that he is still just a prospect in the 2027 class. Despite his young age, Taylor has been immersed in the recruiting journey for quite some time, and now, the end is in sight.
The highly sought-after sophomore has already accumulated dozens of scholarship offers from powerhouse programs such as Michigan, LSU, Illinois, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Georgia, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, among several others. After carefully weighing his options, Taylor has set a decision date for June 6th.
“The sixth month of the year, sixth day of the month,” Taylor explained regarding his choice of date. “Six has always been a number that’s stuck with me throughout my football journey, so it just felt right.”
Before officially announcing his commitment, Taylor is planning one final round of campus visits. This tour will take him to Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Nebraska, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Notre Dame. These visits will be crucial as they represent what will likely be his last opportunity to evaluate each program up close before making his final choice.
“A lot of these trips are probably my last to these schools,” Taylor said. “I just want to make sure I go to every single one and make the right decision. While every school is still in the mix and keeping in touch, those are the ones I’m focusing on the most right now.”
One of the most anticipated stops on his upcoming visit schedule is South Bend, where he will visit Notre Dame on March 18th. Taylor is particularly interested in strengthening his relationship with the Irish coaching staff and gaining more insight into their quarterback development process.
“I really want to see a practice and observe firsthand how they work with their quarterbacks,” he said.
Taylor acknowledged that while Notre Dame has been on his radar for over a year, their level of communication with him hasn’t been as strong as some of the other schools on his list. This visit will give him a better understanding of where he stands with the Fighting Irish.
“Notre Dame is a great academic institution,” Taylor noted. “At the end of the day, they made a deep run last season, which shows they have the players, the offense, and the capability to compete for a national championship. Those are some of the biggest reasons they’ve caught my attention.”
As his recruitment nears its conclusion, Taylor’s final visits will be instrumental in determining where he ultimately decides to play at the next level.
