NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Michael Taaffe, SAF, Texas
NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Michael Taaffe, SAF, Texas
Summer is here, and it is everyone's favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
Player Information
Player: Michael Taaffe
School: Texas
Height/Weight: 6-0/195 lbs.
Player Background
- 0-Star Recruit
- Second-Team All-State DB in High School
- 5th Generation Texas Longhorn in his family
- Intercepted Quinn Ewers in State Title Game in High School
- Committed to Rice but decided to walk on to Texas
Career Stats Heading into the 2025 Season
- 152 tackles
- 10 Tackles for Loss
- 2 Sacks
- 5 Interceptions
Notable PFF Numbers Heading into the 2025 Season
- 68.9 PFF Run Grade
- 67.5 PFF Coverage Grade
- 19% Missed Tackle Rate
- 32 Defensive Stops
- 10 Pass Breakups
Player Traits
- Good closing speed on ball carriers
- Can make tackles in the open field
- Fluid in change of direction due to hip and footwork ability
- Excellent ball skills
- Above average coverage ability
Player Summary
Another fun safety prospect in this class is Michael Taaffe. The Texas defensive back has shown he can be rangy, a playmaker, and a disruptor on a defense that arrived in the SEC with questions surrounding it. He helped them get acclimated quickly, and they showed they could play with the big boys, and Taafe was a major reason for that. He can be just as impactful in the pass game, as he is in the run, which makes him one of the better defenders in college football, no one is talking about.
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