2017 Number 2 Long Snapper in Nation Bill Taylor Commits to Auburn|AU Hot Topics|Team BattleGround|College BattleGround

Special teams has been one of the things Auburn has done best for a few years. There have been exceptions, but for the most part the kicking and punting game has been on point. That all starts with the person who snaps the ball.

It may sound strange that a long snapper can be such a specialized position, but it is. Former Tiger Josh Harris earned a lucrative contract doing just that for the Atlanta Falcons a few years back.

So, getting a commitment from Bill Taylor, the #2 Long Snapper in the nation, out of Tuscaloosa no less, is a pretty good pick-up for Auburn to continue those special teams ways.

Taylor is 6’4, 235lbs and is not ranked according to the major recruiting services, who really don’t spend a lot of time looking at long snappers. His rating comes from the website Kohl’s Kicking. They refer to him as the “fastest long snapper in America,” which is a good thing to be, since getting the ball to the kicker quicker lessens the chance of a block.

The fastest long snapper in America, Bill Taylor, has committed to #Auburn. #WarEagle

Eval: https://t.co/hGOB4YYWMohttps://t.co/xo2Uwh6DSI

— Kohl’s Kicking Camps (@KohlsKicking) June 13, 2016

So what does this do for Auburn’s 2017 recruiting class? He’s not ranked, so that doesn’t add any points to the class ranking. Auburn is still ranked 28th in the nation in recruiting classes.

Before you starting grumbling about using a scholarship on a long snapper – as Tuberville did in his last recruiting class at Auburn – understand that the Tigers may not be doing that, just yet. He has a scholarship offer and will be on scholarship at Auburn at some point. He just might not be an official member of the 2017 recruiting class. We’ll wait and see on that one.