Temple head coach Geoff Collins spoke with Joe Fann on his podcast as part of a series of interviews with coaches of 49ers draft picks. Collins spared no words with his praise of defensive end Jullian Taylor whom the 49ers drafted with a seventh round pick. It wasn’t just Taylor’s skills Collins spoke highly about either, he thinks the system fit is perfect as well:
“Our (Temple) system is very similar to the Pete Carroll system that has been inherited and adopted in the Bay Area. I think he’s going to fit in perfectly, because what we do on defense is a mirror image of what the 49ers do and what the Seahawks have been doing for awhile.”
System fit can have great influence on a draft pick’s potential success. They can set the world on fire in college, but if they are brought into a different system that doesn’t take advantage of their skillsets, then they might have some difficulty transferring over.
At 6’5, 280 pounds, Taylor brings some serious size to an already loaded defensive line. Given that the system is something familiar, that might expedite his growth and allow him to get some production. This is invaluable given Taylor’s relative inexperience with football, something Collins also addresses as well.
There’s a lot more good things from Collins in the interview. I’ve time-stamped it all below. You can also go listen to it here.
00:32 - Thoughts on Taylor’s overall skillset
01:06 - The story behind Taylor
01:48 - What does Taylor do best?
02:15 - Did he know when they first started that he had the makings of an NFL player?
03:02 - Where does Taylor fit best?
04:07 - Did the 49ers get a steal?
04:27 - Despite his newness to the game of football, can Taylor play on a high level?
04:48 - Areas of improvement
05:20 - The person the 49ers are getting
06:13 - How special it is as a coach to see his players get drafted
06:57 - Temple’s program as a whole
07:45 - Last words to Taylor before getting drafted