2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: Bishop Canevin’s Daiveon Taylor

By: Amani Clark-Bey
Saturday, August 3, 2024 | 8:38 PM

Three-star linebacker and West Virginia commit Daiveon Taylor is a problem any offense will have trouble blocking.

Committing early to the Mountaineers was a no-brainer for Taylor, a junior at Bishop Canevin.

“They made everything feel like home,” Taylor said. “Every time I go up there, it feels like I’m still at my house. They are family oriented, the team is great and they have great facilities.”

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Taylor is excited to step on campus after his final two seasons.

“I’m looking forward to connecting with everyone and pushing myself to the max seeing how I can go in life with football,” Taylor said.

Taylor transferred to Aliquippa in the spring and planned to play football for the Quips, but he instead will return to Bishop Canevin this fall. He played football for Canevin the past two seasons.

Taylor can line up on the edge or outside, but this season he will be playing mainly linebacker.

“I went through a lot of phases in my life. I started off at the edge because I was more on the bigger side,” Taylor said. “Once I got skinnier, I started playing middle, but I felt like I was still better at the edge. That’s why my first two seasons my coaches had me playing edge, but this year I will be mainly playing linebacker.”

In his sophomore season, Taylor totaled 67 tackles, including 18 for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two blocked punts and four total touchdowns.

Taylor also will play tight end and running back.

“I want to show that I am good on both sides, and I’m athletic enough to play wherever you need me,” Taylor said. “I can move, I can catch and I can run. I can do whatever you need me to.”

This season, the Crusaders have several new coaches. They brought in Cheyton Pine to lead the defense and Marcus Ademilola to lead the offense.

Pine is a recent graduate of Pitt, where he played linebacker. He was part of the ACC championship team as a senior in 2021.

Ademilola is a graduate of Robert Morris and Bucknell, where he played tight end.

The new coaches are already making an impact.

“We have 10 a.m. workouts, with the conditioning really pushing you to your limits,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s main goal this season is to go further in the WPIAL playoffs than his first two seasons.

“The goal is to win the WPIAL and win states,” he said.

The Crusaders came up short in Taylor’s freshman season, losing in the WPIAL championship to Union, 26-0.

In his sophomore season, they lost in the semifinals to Fort Cherry, 33-21.

“I want to improve on everything I can,” Taylor said. “Improve on being a better leader and a better player.”

Taylor said becoming more vocal will be important.

“It means a lot because when I was younger, being the best player on every team I was on, I was the quiet type,” Taylor said.

“I didn’t really lean on anyone and no one leaned on me. I just played my game, but for kids to lean on me now and listen to what I say it feels great.”

Daiveon Taylor

Bishop Canevin

Junior

6-foot-2, 210 pounds

TE/RB/LB

Committed to: West Virginia

2023 statistics: 67 tackles with 18 being tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble

recoveries, 2 blocked punts and 4 total touchdowns.

Tags: Bishop Canevin