NFL Draft 2022: Former Brick star Ja'Sir Taylor taken by Los Angeles Chargers in 6th round

Former Brick High School standout Ja’Sir Taylor became just the second Green Dragon ever selected in the NFL Draft when his name was called Saturday.

Taylor, a cornerback from Wake Forest, was taken in the sixth round, with the 214th pick overall, by the Los Angeles Chargers.

It was 53 years ago that defensive lineman Art Thoms was taken in the first round of the 1969 draft out of Syracuse by Oakland, eventually earning a Super Bowl ring with the Raiders.

Taylor, a three-sport standout in high school, is the first Brick Township native to get drafted since Brick Memorial’s Garrett Graham, a Wisconsin tight end, went to the Houston Texans in the fourth round in 2010.

He is the second former Shore Conference player selected in this year's draft, with former Ocean quarterback Kenny Pickett taken with the 20th pick overall by Pittsburgh.

At Wake Forest, Taylor (5-11, 188) played in 58 games for the Demon Deacons, finishing his career with 185 tackles, including a career-best 60 in 2021. He made six interceptions during his career, and was the first Wake Forest player ever to return a kick and an interception for a TD in the same game. He averaged 26.3 yards on kickoffs in his final season.

Taylor showcased his skillset at the East-West Shrine all-star game in January. It was at his Pro Day at Wake Forest where his stock really started to rise, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dahs, to go with a 37-inch vertical jump.

He was a member of Brick’s 2013 NJSIAA Central Group 4 championship team. Taylor was a two-way standout for the Green Dragons as a senior in 2016, rushing for 570 yards and 11 TDs, catching 16 passes for 142 yards, and making 31 tackles.

FREE AGENTS

Anthony Brown

The former Saint John Vianney quarterback is headed to the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent, St. John Vianney assistant athletic director Pat Smith tweeted.

Brown, who played three seasons at Boston College before transferring to Oregon, threw for 2,989 yards, with 18 TD passes and seven interception in 2021, while running for 658 yards and nine TDs in the best season of his career. The Ducks went 10-4, losing to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game, and Oklahoma in the Valero Texas Bowl, when Brown threw for 306 yards and three TDs.

At Saint John Vianney, Brown 4,496 yards, the 11th highest total in Shore Conference history. He threw for 2,298 yards, with 33 TDs and just five interceptions, to go with 604 rushing yards and nine scores, as a senior in 2015, as the Lancers won 11 games

Brown’s college career was slowed by injuries early on, sustaining season-ending knee injuries in 2017 and 2019.

Bryce Watts

Former Toms River North star Bryce Watts indicated on twitter that he will be joining the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent. The Steelers confirmed the signing in a story on their Web Site.

Watts (6-0, 180), a cornerback from UMass, bypassed his final year of eligibility to turn pro.

Watts was credited with 43 tackles and an intercption in his one season with the Minutemen, before playing in the East-West Shrine all-star game.

After beginning his college career at North Carolina, Watts played two seasons at Virginia Tech, making 24 tackles and an interception as a sophomore in 2018.

As a senior at Toms River North, Watts had 43 tackles and caught 34 passes for 796 yards and nine TDs.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NFL Draft 2022: Ex-Brick NJ star Ja'Sir Taylor taken by Chargers