Kansas City Chiefs Camp: FA rookie tweets team, gets signed
LaVance Taylor rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns last season at Central Missouri, and decided not receiving a contract out of college simply would not do.
Taylor sent a tweet to the Kansas City Chiefs, and wound up getting signed to a contract for training camp.
Taylor’s speed is clear the minute you turn on his highlight tape, and the numbers at college really speak for themselves. He put up huge numbers throughout his time at Central Missouri, and was certainly worth a look out of college even as a tryout player.
The Chiefs did him one better.
Now at camp with Kansas City, the local product is realizing a dream. Not only did this guy get a shot in KC, but he’s got a decent shot at winning a running back job. The Chiefs have Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis, but after that there should be an open spot or two, or at least open competition.
This is a lesson in patience, persistence, and most of all — the power of social media. The 5-11, 195 pound Taylor is not the biggest back in the league, but he’s got all the requisite measurables to be able to make an NFL roster.
Not only was he a really productive running back in college, but Taylor also excelled as a receiver and return man.
This really is an unprecedented move for a team, which had its social media person get a YouTube video to the front office somehow, and the front office then made the decision to give this kid a call and see him workout, at which point he was offered a contract.
Talk about taking advantage of your golden opportunity. We’ll see how far he can take it.