Cliff Taylor (American football)
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Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
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| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | May 10, 1952 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | March 23, 2010 (aged 57) | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 198 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | South Side (Memphis) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Memphis State (1970–1973) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1974: 3rd round, 62nd overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Clifton Durett Taylor Jr. (May 10, 1952 – March 23, 2010) was an American professional football running back. He played college football for the Memphis State Tigers and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1974 NFL draft. He played one season for the Bears and later a season with the Green Bay Packers in 1976 before retiring.
Taylor was born on May 10, 1952, in Memphis, Tennessee.[1] His brother, Ed Taylor, also played in the NFL.[1] He attended South Side High School in Memphis where he competed in football and track and field.[2] In football, he played as a running back and was selected first-team all-state, All-Memphis and All-Mid-South as a senior after helping South Side to a 10–1–1 record and a second-place finish at the state championships. He gained over 100 yards in all but two games that season.[3] Taylor also excelled in track, being one of the top sprinters in the Mid-South.[4] He was a state champion in the 100- and 200-yard dash, setting a state record in the former with a time of 9.7 seconds.[2] He signed to play college football for the Memphis State Tigers.[3]
College career
Taylor attended Memphis State from 1970 to 1973, where he played alongside his brother Ed.[1][5] He missed the entirety of his freshman season due to a knee injury suffered in fall camp. He then played at fullback as a sophomore in 1971, helping Memphis State to the Pasadena Bowl and the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) title while running 39 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns.[2] His 1971 season included a game against North Texas State where he ran for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns.[2] The following season, he ran for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns while recording 16 receptions for 183 yards.[2] He served as starting fullback as a senior in 1973, running 120 times for 471 yards and 7 touchdowns while also catching 14 passes for 69 yards, being Memphis State's second-leading scorer.[2]
