Stepfan Taylor: Video Highlights for Former Stanford RB

Stepfan Taylor was an accomplished running back from Stanford by way of Texas. He finished his senior season in the Lone Star state with 33 touchdowns and 2,463 yards on the ground.

At Stanford, he saw the field all four years primarily as a backup to Minnesota Viking Toby Gerhart. 

In his final season at Stanford, Taylor rushed for 1,530 yard and 13 touchdowns on 322 carries. He projects to be a powerful running back with good vision in the NFL. His ability to catch out of the backfield can make him a viable threat on three downs. 

Here are some of his best highlights throughout his career at Stanford. 

40-Yard TD Catch vs. Oregon State

Patience and vision are what stand out on Taylor's catch here. He had the wherewithal to stay close to the quarterback and help him out when under duress. 

The catch was easy, but the moves and speed were not. Taylor shows off his great open-field vision, as he was able to take it all the way to the end zone.  

70-Yard TD Run vs. Washington State

An underrated ability for a running back is his ability to hit a hole hard and blow through the secondary. 

There is nothing fancy here, but Taylor shows off a skill needed in every running back at the next level. He sees the hole, speeds through it and is past the defensive backs before they can even react. 

That speed and burst are always underrated on film, but they wow coaches and general managers in the NFL. 

44-Yard TD Run vs. Oregon

Yards after contact are tough to get and help a running back gain a reputation as a tough guy to bring down. 

Taylor's run here against Oregon shows off his lower-body strength as well as his balance and ability to keep stride. 

After shaking off would-be tacklers, Taylor shows off the bread and butter of his game, which is blowing by secondaries. 

Red-Zone TD Run in Slow Motion

Sometimes the play goes so fast you need to slow it down to get a true appreciation for what a player did. 

Here you see Taylor escape a couple of defenders in the backfield and score close to the goal line. 

Once in the red zone, it is a running back's job to get that football over the goal line by any means necessary. The defenders can collapse more, forcing a player to rely more on his quickness. 

Taylor nonchalantly gets past a couple of guys who penetrated the line. Once again, his lower-body strength is a huge factor for him. 

Misdirection Screen for a Touchdown

Similar to the catch against OSU, you see Taylor show patience as he waits for the football. After getting it, he has one thing in mind and that's reaching the end zone. 

After catching the football, you see Taylor's trademark style of using his lower body to shake through tacklers and churn out those extra yards. 

Powerful Run vs. Cal

A long run can be an offense's best friend. It gains confidence for an offensive line and keeps the quarterback clean.

On this run, Taylor shows off his power again. His strong lower body allows himself to burst through would-be tacklers at the line of scrimmage and he shows a nice stiff arm that gained an extra chunk of yards once in the secondary. 

Notice his footwork on this run. Taylor constantly keeps his feet moving, making it tough for a defensive player to slow down his momentum. 

Soft Hands, Power and Vision

In this highlight, you see what Taylor brings to the table. He is a powerful back with outstanding vision that allows him to get into the open field. 

His soft hands out of the backfield allow him to be a three-down back in the NFL. He works well in the screen game because he can catch and has the necessary vision to pick up those extra yards. 

Taylor won't wow you with speed, but can surprise you by blowing past a secondary. This is because he takes the right angles and uses his strength to get through through the first and second levels of a defense just as quick as a speed back.