Villa-Angela St. Joseph High School (Ohio) running back Ronnie Taylor Jr. gave Akron and head coach Joe Moorhead his verbal commitment. The Zips made a strong push for his services, offering him on Jan. 23, and he took a visit to the campus on April 4 before committing on Monday.
The Class of 2027 tailback received the offer from running backs coach Terry Richardson, whom he built a quick connection with.
“I was shocked when he offered me,” Taylor said. “I wasn’t expecting one so soon.”
“I connected with a lot of coaches,” he added. “It wasn’t the best connection, but when I got in contact with Coach Richardson, it was different. He was always checking up on me, texting me throughout the day, to see if I’m OK. He developed a connection with my family. He treats me like one of his children.”
What stood out to the 6-foot-0, 200-pound tailback was the Akron staff’s open-arms attitude and how they showed where he fits in their offense.
“Also, I like how they use they backs,” Taylor said. “They don’t just use them for running the ball and blocking. They have different route running (concepts) for them. What I’m looking for in a school is a place I can call home, a place where I can call my team my second family. They met my expectations by how they treat their players. They all treat their players like they one of their own children. I love how the players can call each other their brother.”
Right now, Taylor is locked into taking the Vikings to the Ohio high school football state championships. The Vikings were 10-2 last season, losing to Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in the OHSAA tournament. Taylor is hopeful the team can reach new heights and get just a little bit better to emerge on top in 2026.
“The aspects of my game I need to work is just to know the game better, know everybody’s assignment on the field, and being a leader,” he said. “I’m just having a competitive mindset.”
