It’s a good day in the Taylor household. With the hopes of one day following his father’s footsteps and playing defensive back in the NFL, four-star recruit Ivan Taylor, son of former Pittsburgh Steelers CB Ike Taylor, has committed to play college football at Notre Dame as part of the 2025 recruiting class.
Taylor made his commitment earlier in the day, one of the top DBs in the nation and a big get for Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman.
From ESPN:
“If you take the stadium out of it, money out of it, NIL out of it, it’s the coaches, the coaches hands down are just [different],” Taylor said of his decision. “If they really want you, they’ll tell you. They’ll show you.”
Attending West Orange High School in Florida, Taylor is ranked the fifth-best cornerback of the ’25 class and the 30th overall prospect. It should be noted multiple outlets announced Taylor as a safety and his college position seems a little unclear at this point. He chose Notre Dame over Wisconsin, Florida State, and a list of other schools. This past year, Taylor recorded six tackles for a loss and an interception.
His father Ike took a less heralded path. He played his college ball at UL-Lafayette, making plays when there weren’t many watching him. But the NFL took notice. With elite speed and good size, the Steelers made him their fourth round selection in the 2003 draft. After biding his time and taking his lumps early in his career, Taylor went on to be one of the best Steelers’ corners in recent history. Durable with lockdown ability, he regularly shadowed the opposing top wide receiver and went on to start 140 games, picking off 14 passes and winning two Super Bowls.
For Ivan, his dad serves as a mentor and inspiration.
“I’m embracing [the Taylor name] very much,” Taylor said in July, via ESPN. “My dad has taught me what he was being taught in the NFL.”
In the Mike Tomlin era, the Steelers have drafted only two players from Notre Dame, though it’s often a regular stop on their Pro Day schedule. WR Chase Claypool was the most recent in 2020 while DL Stephon Tuitt was a home run pick in 2014. Both were selected in the second round. The franchise’s first ever draft pick was also a member of the Fighting Irish, Bill Shakespeare, taken third overall in the 1936 draft. He never played a down for the team, opting to go into the workforce instead, a common decision back then for the still-upstart NFL overshadowed by the college game. And of course while not drafted by the team, RB Jerome Bettis is among the most famous athletes to come out of Notre Dame.
Per ESPN, if Taylor officially signs his letter of intent with the Irish, he’ll be the highest-ranked cornerback to commit to Notre Dame since at least 2006. And assuming Mike Tomlin is still around when the younger Taylor is ready to take his talents to the NFL, you can bet he’ll be on the Steelers’ radar.
