Louisiana (Lafayette) landed another promising in-state prospect to its 2027 class late Friday.
Long, athletic Ferriday wide receiver Robert Taylor, a multisport star fresh off a basketball state championship, announced his commitment shortly after 8 p.m. to program about two and a half hours south of his hometown.
“It feels great,” he told Louisiana vs. All Y’all. “Just grateful for the opportunity and to be given the chance to play the sport I love on the Division-I level. It means everything to me because I come from a small town. We really don’t get many opportunities, and it’s just a blessing to be a part of something special.”
Taylor shared a commitment graphic with the proclamation the Ragin’ Cajuns had “just landed a dog.”
The 6-foot-4, 188-pound pass-catcher with the wide catch radius, bouncy athleticism and strong hands may be spot on with that self-assessment.
Even through a big-play junior campaign this past fall with 29 catches for 500 yards and 11 touchdowns, Taylor had been a largely under-the-radar, but intriguing prospect with his measurables and athletic traits.
But Louisiana kicked off his recruitment with an offer Feb. 10 and never let up, continuing to make him feel prioritized throughout.
“That made me feel like they were the first to believe in me,” he said. “And they always stayed in contact and always showed they wanted me to be a part of the program they’re building.”
Texas Southern offered April 1, and Louisiana Tech, Tulane, Arkansas, Houston, South Alabama and Grambling State had been among other programs in contact.
But Taylor said he was confident in his relationships with the Ragin’ Cajuns coaches and ready to join the class, which he brings to three commitments.
“Everyone just made me feel at home and showed how much they wanted my commitment,” he said. “It also felt like that was the place for me to be … It’s the fact the head coach (Michael Desormeaux) was so up front about everything, like saying no spot is just given because there’s guys that want it just like me and just as good as me. That alone gives me the drive to want it even more and work harder.
“I’m the type of player who likes to be coached hard. That’s another reason I felt like it was a great fit for me.”
Taylor joins nearby Avoyelles defensive end Kobe Smith and Shadow Creek (Pearland, Texas) tight end Bryce Coleman, who both committed in late March.
The two in-state standouts in particular continue the Ragin’ Cajuns’ track record of strong identifications and evaluations of talented Louisiana prospects — including many from more rural towns — before other college programs make a move.
Taylor emphasized the significance of being able to represent both Louisiana and Ferriday in their respective ways.
“It means everything to me to represent my my home town in my home state because people were once saying nothing good comes out of my town anymore, and I want to change that,” “I’m also trying to show all the kids in my community it’s possible to do anything you put your mind to. ”
The rising senior is poised to join 2026 signees Desmen Jefferson (Southeastern Louisiana) and Paityn Collins (McNeese State) in helping rekindle a college pipeline from Ferriday.
And in Lafayette, he also sees proven blueprints of success for big outside targets from the home state to excel, referencing his appreciation for the games of former Thibodaux star Kyren Lacy, who went on to excel at LSU, and former Catholic (Baton Rouge) star Shelton Sampson Jr., who arrived this past year from LSU and enjoyed a breakout sophomore season.
“I’ve always ben keeping track of the Cajuns before they even offered me. I always watch guys like Sampson, No. 6, who plays wide receiver, and Kyren Lacy when he went there. No. 6 is leaving by the time I come. I feel I can fill his shoes.”