
Chris Taylor is Illinois State’s special-teams spark plug with big-play juice
In the 2025 season, Chris Taylor turned into a sneaky-impact Redbird: he played in six games on kick returns, averaged 36.5 yards per return, and took one back 91 yards for a touchdown in Illinois State’s FCS quarterfinal win over UC Davis. The DB has size, speed, and the kind of fearless, high-energy vibe teams love on special teams; he’s not yet a volume defensive stat monster, but his burst and playmaking make him more than just a depth piece. If you want a versatile, momentum-swinging defender with return-game upside, he fits.




