NFL CAREER – Selected by New Orleans in the second round (49th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft, Taylor has appeared in 47 contests with 37 starts in his first three campaigns, totaling 209 tackles (155 solo), five sacks, 14 stops for loss, two interceptions, 41 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one special teams tackle. After spending his first two seasons primarily in the nickel spot, Taylor spent his third season at both the nickel and as an outside corner due to injuries and personnel losses. Taylor will look to lead the Saints cornerback room in his fourth season.
TRANSACTIONS – Activated from Injured Reserve, 10/20/22; Placed on Injured Reserve, 9/24/22; Signed to a four year contract, 7/19/22; Selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft (49th overall).
2024 – Appeared in all 17 contests with 15 starts at both nickel corner and on the outside, recording career-highs in tackles (89), solo stops (61), sacks (four), stops for a loss (seven), pass breakups (16-tied for fifth in the National Football League) and forced fumbles (two)…Opened the season rotating in at nickel corner, recording a team-high six stops (five solo), a pass breakup and three sacks. Taylor became the first Saints DB to ever record three sacks in a game and sparked the Saints to a statement win over Carolina in the opener, Sept. 8…At Dallas, Sept. 15, started at nickel corner and led the team in tackles for second straight week, recording a career-high nine stops (seven solo) and a stop for a loss…Vs. Philadelphia, Sept. 22, finished with four tackles (two solo), a pass breakup, a forced fumble, and a half-sack…At Kansas City, Oct. 7, made 25th career start at nickel corner and recorded five tackles (four solo), a forced fumble and two stops for loss…Vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 13, started at nickel and finished with six tackles (four solo), including one stop for loss and a pass breakup…Vs. Denver, Oct. 17, started at nickel and recorded seven tackles (five solo) and a pass breakup…At L.A. Chargers, Oct. 27, started at nickel and finished with three tackles (one solo), a pass breakup, and split a sack with DE Chase Young. Taylor's four sacks in 2024 tied Alex Molden (1997) for most takedowns by a Saints CB…At Carolina, Nov. 3, moved into starting lineup at outside corner, where he would stay for remainder of season, finishing with four tackles (three solo) and a season-high three pass breakups…Vs. Atlanta, Nov. 10, tied a career-high with nine tackles (seven solo)…Vs. Cleveland, Nov. 17, finished with eight tackles (five solo) and two passes defensed…Vs. Washington, Dec. 15, finished with five tackles (three solo), surpassing previous season career-high in stops (75)…Vs. Las Vegas, Dec. 29, finished with two solo stops and two pass breakups. 2023 – Appeared in all 17 contests with 13 starts manning the nickel role, recording 75 tackles (56 solo), one sack, two interceptions, 14 pass breakups (tied for ninth in the NFL), six stops for loss, and one forced fumble…Recorded four tackles (two solo) and a pass breakup in opening win vs Tennessee, Sept. 10, playing a pivotal role in a secondary that forced QB Ryan Tannehill into a career-low 28.8 passer rating…Added five solo stops, two stops for loss, and one pass breakup at Carolina, Sept. 18…Posted five solo tackles, one sack, two stops for loss and a career-high five pass breakups, tied for the league's highest single-game total in 2023, at Green Bay, Sept. 24…Had six tackles (four solo) to tie for the team lead in 34-0 shutout victory, where New Orleans surrendered only 111 net passing yards, at New England, Oct. 8…Recorded five tackles (four solo), one stop for loss, and two passes defensed at Minnesota, Nov. 12…At Atlanta, Nov. 26, totaled six tackles (three solo)…Recorded six tackles (three solo), his first career forced fumble and two pass breakups, vs Carolina, Dec. 10, with New Orleans surrendering a season-low 110 net passing yards…Totaled six stops (four solo) and a stop for loss, vs N.Y. Giants, Dec. 17…Tied season-highs in tackles (six) and solo stops (five) in a Thursday night contest at Rams, Dec. 21…Posted first career interception, while adding four tackles (three solo) and one pass breakup in win at Tampa Bay, Dec. 31…Recorded his second straight game with a pick in finale vs. Atlanta, 1/7/24, while also adding a solo stop and pass breakup. 2022 – Appeared in 13 games with nine starts and finished season with with 45 tackles (38 solo), one stop for loss and a club-best 11 pass breakups, adding a special teams tackle. Pass breakup total ranked fourth among NFL rookies and was only fourth Saints rookie to lead the team (Saints did not track statistic before 1980)…In opener at Atlanta, Sept. 11, made his debut on special teams…Vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 18, recorded one pass breakup in first NFL defensive action…At Arizona, Oct. 20, returned from knee injury that sidelined him four weeks and had first NFL start at LCB, recording three solo stops…Vs. Las Vegas, Oct. 30, opened at RCB, where he would start four straight weeks. Registered three solo tackles and game-high tying three pass breakups in 24-0 shutout…At Pittsburgh, Nov. 13, posted six solo tackles…Vs. L.A. Rams, Nov. 20, started and finished with five solo tackles and one pass breakup...At Tampa Bay, Dec. 5, started at NCB and recorded eight tackles (six solo) and one pass breakup…Vs. Atlanta, Dec. 18, started and made four solo tackles and three pass breakups…At Cleveland, Dec. 24, started and recorded five tackles (three solo) and a pass breakup, as New Orleans surrendered only 135 net passing yards…Vs. Carolina, 1/8/23, started at LCB and recorded two solo tackles as New Orleans surrendered only 32 net passing yards, the sixth lowest total by a Saints opponent all-time and QB Sam Darnold managed only a 2.8 passer rating, the lowest an opposing quarterback (min. ten att.) had against the Saints all-time.
COLLEGE CAREER – Started playing CB as a freshman at Tennessee after beginning his college career at WR. He took to the secondary and special teams quickly, playing in 45 games with 31 starts and finishing his college career with totals of 162 tackles (115 solo), a split sack, five stops for loss, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, four interceptions, one returned 56 yards for a TD, 17 pass breakups and one blocked punt…As a senior in 2020, proved to be one of the best CBs in the SEC, when he started all 12 games of the regular season and had a career-best 60 tackles, six pass breakups, two interceptions, an additional pick on a two-point conversion attempt and one forced fumble to be selected fourth-team All-SEC (Phil Steele)...As a junior in 2019, appeared in eight games and made five starts, despite battling a hamstring injury. Finished with 29 tackles, two stops for loss, five pass breakups and an interception. Earned Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll accolades for the second straight year, as well as being voted by his peers to the first of two terms as the vice chair of the SEC Football Leadership Council, where he ended up being instrumental as a student voice in helping the SEC return to play during the Covid-19 pandemic…As a sophomore in 2018, saw action in all 13 games with six starts and finished the season with 33 tackles, one interception, one split sack and four pass breakups…In 2017, played in all 12 games with eight starts as he became Tennessee's first true freshman DB to start an opener since 2013, posting 40 tackles (28 solo), a stop for loss, two forced fumbles, two breakups, one fumble recovery for a touchdown and one blocked kick…Graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication studies.
PERSONAL - Rated a four-star prospect and a consensus top 10 recruit in Tennessee out of Coffee County (Manchester, Tenn.) HS…Member of the ESPN 300…Invited to play in 2018 Under Armour All-American Game…Played in the 2017 Toyota East West TN Football All-Star Classic – named MVP of the East Team after throwing the game-winning touchdown on a double-pass…In 2017, made Tennessee Sports Writers Association Class 6A All-State team and earned Region 3-6A Athlete of the Year…Tallied 8,225 yards of total offense and 75 touchdowns during four-year career at quarterback…In 2023, joined teammates Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed to work with students at Martin Behrman Charter School to help open a new fit zone with a football experience, promoting a healthy lifestyle in speaking to the youth…Interacted with fans at the 2023 Saints Draft Crawfish Cook-off, which benefited several Autism-related non-profits…For the NFL's "My Cause, My Cleats" promotion has worn specially designed cleats to support the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)…In 2023, he and several teammates joined Ochsner oncology patients and their supporters for a dinner at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center…Partnered with Inspire NOLA to host a turkey and ham giveaway in 2023 prior to Thanksgiving…In 2024, he, Olave and Carl Granderson visited with students at Alice Harte Charter ahead of standardized testing week…The past two years, has held his Chose One Youth Football Camp at his high school for local youth ages 6-18…Rode in 2025 Krewe of Orpheus Mardi Gras parade…In April, in partnership with United Healthcare, participated in a Mental Health Talk for students at Albert Cammon Middle School in St. Rose, where he discussed his personal journey to the National Football League, the importance of mental health throughout his career and promoted an anti-bullying message…Along with center/guard Erik McCoy, joined fans for the team's first selection of the 2025 NFL Draft at the Draft Watch Party presented by COX at Five O Fore…Says that his late grandmother, Ginger Irene Burnett Reese, was his biggest motivator…Grew up playing baseball, basketball and football, but then focused solely on football after freshman year…Originally from Winchester, Tenn., but moved to nearby Manchester in fourth grade…Alontae Devaun Taylor was born Dec. 3, 1998.
