Seattle linebacker Darrell Taylor lost his mother. But the Hopewell star never lost his way. | Professional Sports

He kept his emotions inside and never really talked about his feelings, said high school coach Ricky Irby. But then the pressure would build up inside him and Taylor would let go of a small breakout on the field.

His transformation was unmistakable. Looking back on his life, Yasmin said, Taylor would not be where he is now if his mother hadn’t died.

A bright spot in Tennessee

On his 17th birthday, Taylor met the woman who would become another stepmother for him. Her name was Nakia Rosario and she was with his father. Since it was his birthday, Rosario cooked him a dinner of fried chicken, pineapple, rice and topped it off with a virgin piña colada.

Taylor and his father Darrell Taylor Sr. lived 30 minutes outside of Hopewell in Waverly. That year, Rosario and her three children moved into their 800 square meter house and converted the dining room into an additional bedroom.

Taylor shared a double bed again, this time with Rosario’s son Jeremiah, who was four years younger. But Taylor immediately bonded with his new family.

His recruitment began in the spring of his junior year. It made sense – Taylor was tall and lean, standing 6-4, 225 pounds, and was fast. Zach Azzanni, a trainer from the University of Tennessee, filmed Taylor lifting weights in the school’s weight room. His list of offers grew to 27 schools. In a single day, coaches from high profile programs like Miami, Missouri, and Michigan would show up to meet him.