The college football season in Texas starts a week earlier than normal with a Week 0 matchup between North Texas and UTEP. To celebrate us making it through another off-season, we’re counting down the 50 most important players in Texas every day until Aug. 27. The list isn’t necessarily about which players are the best, though talent plays a major factor in most important. 

No. 50, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech senior defensive back 

The History

The Oklahoma City native put together a breakout season as a safety for the Red Raiders in 2021. In that junior season, Taylor-Demerson played in the final 12 games of the season and became a regular starter by the conclusion of the year. He missed the opener against Houston with an injury but rebounded to notch seven starts. Taylor-Demerson finished the year with 31 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and a team-high three interceptions. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 by the conference coaches. 

Taylor-Demerson was a standout running back at Albert High School in Oklahoma City, earning Oklahoma 5A Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2018 after rushing for 1,365 yards and 24 touchdowns. He finished his prep career with 4,611 yards and his team won three state championships. The three-star recruit signed with Texas Tech and switched to defense. He played mostly on special teams as a true freshman in 2019 and earned three starts in the secondary as a sophomore in 2020. 

The Skillset 

Taylor-Demerson is a ball-hawking safety with tremendous ball skills thanks to the years he spent playing running back prior to college. He was Texas Tech’s highest rated player in coverage last year with a score of 80.2. He graded out at 76 by Pro Football Focus, which was second on the team behind Eric Monroe (76.7). The senior is also a consistent force on kickoff coverage and punt block. Nicknamed “Rabbit”, Demerson-Taylor provides athleticism in the back end. He’s become a consistent presence in the secondary for a program that needs to improve on the defensive side of the football. 

The Impact 

The duo of Taylor-Demerson and fellow safety Marquis Waters must be the leaders of the 2022 Texas Tech secondary as the Red Raiders learn a new defensive system. First-year head coach Joey McGuire has instituted a “Take 3” motto that emphasizes forcing three turnovers a game. Taylor-Demerson figures to be one of the big-play returners on the defense. He is always around the football and can take any turnover the other way for six points. He’ll need to pick up where he left off in 2021 for Texas Tech’s defense to reach its ceiling.