New Jersey City University Athletics

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Former New Jersey City University track and field and football standout JOHNNIE TAYLOR (Newark, NJ/Barringer) has signed a free agent contract with the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League, the AFL announced on June 26. Taylor, the most accomplished men’s outdoor track and field athlete in NJCU history, becomes only the second Gothic Knight on record to sign with an AFL club in the 21-year history of that league (Simod Covington, 2001).

 

Taylor was signed to the Destroyers’ practice squad as a defensive back in time for Saturday’s AFL Wildcard victory over with the Tampa Bay Storm.

 

“It is a dream come true,” Taylor said. “I’ve always wanted to play football since I was a child, and all of the hard work that I’ve put in throughout my life has made this possible. NJCU will always be with me, and this proves you do not need to go to a large school to gain recognition—you just have to work hard.”

 

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Taylor opened his professional football career in April when he signed with the Lehigh Valley Outlawz of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) and wasted no time in making an impact, earning CIFL Defensive Player of the Week honors on May 22 for week 10 of the season—just weeks into his professional career. He helped his club to a 48-25 victory, breaking up four passes while adding two interceptions, including one which he returned for a 46-yard touchdown.

 

Taylor led Lehigh Valley this season with eight interceptions in nine games, and has been nominated for the CIFL’s Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Those awards have yet to be announced.

 

In a three-year career at NJCU that spanned from 2003-05, Taylor was a three-time NCAA Division III First-Team All-American. Including the indoor season, he was collectively a four-time All-American—the second highest combined total of any men’s track athlete to ever compete for the University.

               

During the 2005 outdoor campaign, he earned First-Team All-America honors in the high jump and 110-meter hurdles, finishing fourth and seventh respectively at the national meet. He also was a 2004 All-American in the 110 hurdles, placing sixth.

               

In May 2005, he played a critical role in NJCU winning its only Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Outdoor championship, defeating 51 other schools in the process. He scored 19 of NJCU’s 106 total points individually, with four All-ECAC performances in the 110 hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, high jump and 4x400-meter relay. He won the 2005 ECAC individual title in the 400 hurdles and as part of the 4x400 relay.

               

Taylor earned All-ECAC honors as a sophomore in 2004 in the 110 hurdles and 4x100 relay. That year he was Second-Team All-New Jersey Athletic Conference in the 110 hurdles and high jump and Honorable Mention All-NJAC as part of the 4x100 relay. As a rookie in 2003, he earned Honorable Mention All-NJAC honors in the high jump.

 

The record-setting Taylor owns the top 10 times in NJCU history in the 110-meter hurdles, including the school record of 14.59 seconds on May 27, 2005 in the NCAA trials. Additionally, he possesses the Top 10 high jump measurements in NJCU history, including the record of 2.06 meters (6-9) in the NCAA finals on May 27, 2005. He also owns NJCU’s automated record in the 400 hurdles of 53.65 seconds set May 16, 2005.

               

Taylor also owns a piece of the school record in the 800-meter sprint medley (1:40.66), set on March 26, 2005, and ran a leg of the school record 4x400-meter relay time of 3:13.06 set on May 26, 2005 in the NCAA trials. His best time in the 4x100 relay was 43.03 seconds at the NJAC Championship. Also an accomplished long jumper, his best distance was 6.75 meters (22-1.75) on May 7, 2005.

               

During a three-year indoor career, Taylor earned 2005 First-Team All-America status in the 55-meter hurdles, finishing sixth, and was a three-time ECAC champion. In 2005, he captured the ECAC individual titles in the 55-meter hurdles, high jump and 4x400-meter relay, earning All-ECAC honors in those three events, and the long jump. In 2004, he won the NJAC indoor title in the high jump, before earning First-Team All-ECAC distinction in the 55 hurdles, high jump and 4x200-meter relay. Taylor was Second-Team All-NJAC in the high jump as a freshman in 2003, and earned Honorable Mention All-NJAC status in the 4x200 relay.

 

A multiple-time ECAC Division III Indoor Field Athlete of the Week selection in 2004 and 2005, Taylor is responsible for the top 10 55-meter hurdle times in NJCU history, including a record of 7.80 seconds on January 29, 2005. He set the school record in the 60-meter hurdles of 8.53 seconds on February 14, 2004, and owns the second best indoor high jump mark in school history of 2.05 meters (6-8.75) in February 2003. He also was part of the shuttle hurdles record of 26.04 set on December 6, 2004.

 

A three-sport athlete at NJCU, Taylor started as a freshman wide receiver for the Gothic Knights in 2002 during the final season football was offered as part of the intercollegiate program. That year he played in eight of nine games, and led the Knights with 21 receptions on a run-dominated offense. He finished the season fourth on the team with 188 receiving yards, averaging 23.5 yards per game and 9.0 yard per catch. He scored one touchdown and was fifth on the club in scoring.