Chargers Draft Pitt OT Branson Taylor

Taylor is the first Pitt player that the Chargers have drafted since they moved to Los Angeles from San Diego. The last Pitt player they drafted was guard Chris Goetz in the ninth round of 1990.

This makes it three straight years that a Pitt offensive tackle has earned an NFL Draft selection. The New York Jets took Carter Warren in the fourth round in 2023 and the Indianapolis Colts took Matt Goncalves in the third round in 2024.

Taylor is also the fifth Pitt offensive tackle under head coach Pat Narduzzi, who took over in 2015, to earn an NFL Draft selection. This includes Adam Bisnowaty, who the New York Giants drafted in the Sixth Round in 2017, and Brian O'Neil, who the Minnesota Vikings drafted in the Second Round in 2018 and made a Pro Bowl in 2021. 

He came out of Elyria Catholic High School, west of Cleveland and served as one of the best offensive lineman in Ohio, not allowing a sack as a senior.

247Sports rated Taylor as a four-star in the Class of 2020, No. 7 recruit in Ohio and No. 22 offensive tackle, while Rivals rated Taylor as a three-star and No. 34 in the state.

Taylor made 12 appearances in the 2021 season on the PAT/field goal unit, as the Panthers won their first ever ACC title. He also played in three games in the 2020 season, preserving a redshirt.

He played in all 13 games in 2022, starting four at left tackle when Carter Warren went down with an injury that kept him out most of the season. This makes it three straight seasons that a Pitt left tackle has suffered a serious injury.

Taylor started the first three games of the 2023 season at right tackle and then started eight of the next nine games at left tackle, following a season-ending injury to Matt Goncavles. Goncalves departed for the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts took him in the Third Round in the 2024 Draft.

He started the first six games of this season at left tackle, playing in 343 snaps, before suffering an injury in the 17-15 home win vs. Cal in Week 7.

Taylor didn't leave the sideline during that game, but the extent of the injury came following and Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi announced he was out for the season following their home win vs. Syracuse in Week 9.

Pitt struggled finding a replacement for Taylor at left tackle, using redshirt junior Terrence Enos Jr. for Syracuse and then against No. 20 SMU in Week 10, but then having redshirt sophomore Ryan Baer move from right tackle to left tackle for the final five games.

This led to Pitt using redshirt sophomore Isaiah Montgomery started for Pitt at right tackle vs. Virginiain Week 11 and the last two games of the regular season, road losses to Louisville in Week 13 and Boston College in Week 14, fellow redshirt sophomore Jackson Brown did so in the home loss to then ranked No. 20 Clemson in Week 12 and then Enos started for the GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Toledo.

Taylor declared for the NFL Draft and went to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but didn't participate due to his injury.

He is the first Pitt player to earn an NFL draft selection in 2025.