The son of one of the best Miami Dolphins players in the team’s history is headed to the Southeastern Conference.
St. Thomas Aquinas tight end Mason Taylor, the son of legendary Dolphins defensive lineman Jason Taylor and the nephew of former Dolphins linebacker great Zach Thomas, committed to LSU on Thursday afternoon.
“The coaching staff [was] on me every day about going there, talking to me about how they’d use me,” Taylor said. “Just built a really good relationship with the coaching staff there. It felt like home. When I went up there, everything was for me. They were just doing everything they could for me. I just liked the comfort.”
Taylor said he built a close relationship with LSU coach Ed Orgeron and graduate assistant and tight ends coach Derek Shay.
“They’re kind of down, short on tight ends right now, so the chance to play early is what they told me,” Taylor said.
The Raiders tight end also said getting the chance to play for an SEC program like LSU appealed to him.
“It’s going to be crazy,” Taylor said. “SEC — that’s where I feel like I belong. And Death Valley, that place gets loud, that place gets rowdy. So it’s going to be really fun and it’s going to be a really great experience.”
Two of Taylor’s former teammates at St. Thomas, offensive linemen Marcus Dumervil and Marlon Martinez, currently play for the Tigers, and he spoke to them when he visited the campus.
“When we went up there, we went to lunch with everybody after my workout,” Taylor said. “I’ve known them for a while now.”
Taylor’s recruitment picked up in the winter and spring. Miami, Pittsburgh and Texas A&M offered him scholarships in January. Auburn offered in May, and Alabama, Florida and LSU followed in June. Taylor took an official visit to Pittsburgh in June and unofficial visits to Florida, LSU and Miami.
Taylor chose the Tigers over scholarship offers from Alabama, Florida and Miami, among others. He is rated a three-star prospect in 247Sports’ composite rankings, and he is listed as the No. 16 tight end and No. 381 player in the 2022 class.
Taylor played in five games for the Raiders last year, making six catches for 133 yards as St. Thomas rolled to its second straight state championship.
