Former Central Missouri Mules running back LaVance Taylor has Twitter to thank for his new job. He sent the following tweet to the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday and was signed by Thursday:
@KCChiefs hey my name is LaVance Taylor and I am currently a free agent and I wanted you to check me out. http://t.co/T8sD9L8pTs
— LaVance Taylor (@LaVance_TCT) July 29, 2015
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Taylor went to high school in Raytown, Missouri – not even five miles from Arrowhead Stadium. When his hometown Chiefs released both Cyrus Gray and Keshawn Hill earlier this week, they were left with just three running backs on the roster – Jamaal Charles, Knile Davis, and Charcandrick West.
Taylor holds the single-season Central Missouri records for rushing yards (1,962) and all purpose yards (2,618), and is the school’s all-time leader in all purpose yards (6,231) and kickoff returns for touchdowns (3). He was named All-MIAA five times in four years as a running back and kick returner. The Chiefs saw his highlights and were impressed enough to sign him.
No surprise on our end – we named Taylor the D2 Football Special Teams Stud of the Year (2014) for his performance in a 50-31 win over Emporia State in week 2. He returned two kickoffs for a total of 98 yards, one of which went for a score, on the same day he amassed 288 rushing yards and 4 TDs on 23 carries. He even caught three passes for eight yards and a TD. It all added up to a 2014 D2 single-game best 394 all-purpose yards and six all-purpose TDs.
Looks like the Chiefs’ social media coordinator deserves a pat on the back, as does the newest Kansas City Chief – LaVance Taylor.
