Trey Taylor, a 2023 Air Force Academy graduate, was drafted in the seventh round by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2024 National Football League Draft Saturday. Taylor was the third pick in the seventh round, No. 223 overall.
Taylor is the 10th Air Force player drafted overall and first since defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, who was taken in the sixth round, No. 198 overall, by the New Orleans Saints in 2022.
Senior linebacker Alec Mock and 2023 graduate Bo Richter have signed as undrafted free agents. Mock signed with the Denver Broncos, while Richter signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
Taylor won the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back this season, becoming only the second player to win one of college football’s major awards, joining Chad Hennings, who won the 1987 Outland Trophy. Taylor also won the Defender of the Nation Award for his efforts on and off the field. He was a first-team All-American by AFCA, the first Falcon since 2010 to earn first-team honors, and a third-team All-America by Associated Press, the first Falcon to earn AP honors since Weston Steelhammer in 2016.
Mock started all 13 games in 2023 and was a second-team all-Mountain West selection. He led the team in tackles with 93 and unassisted stops with 53. Mock was also fourth on the team in tackles for loss with 5.0 for 25 yards and had four games with double figure tackles. He led all active players in career tackles with 224.
Richter was a first-team all-Mountain West selection. He led the Mountain West in tackles for loss 19.5 for 116 yards and was third in sacks with 10.0 for 95 yards. His 10 sacks are the fifth most in program history and most since. Richter recorded five tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss for 33 yards and 3.0 sacks for 31 yards vs. James Madison in the Armed Forces Bowl. His 4.5 TFL set a program record for a bowl game while his 3.0 sacks tied a program record for a bowl game. He was named to the Associated Press All-Bowl team
Air Force ended the season 9-4 overall and finished fourth in the Mountain West with a 5-3 record. The Falcons capped the season with a 31-21 win over #24/25 James Madison in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas. The bowl win marks a program-record fifth straight and second straight in the Armed Forces Bowl. The victory over a ranked team is the first by the Falcons since 2016 and first-ever in a bowl. Air Force improved to 40-12 the last four full seasons, including a 23-9 mark in conference games over the same stretch.
Air Force in the NFL Draft
Ernie Jennings, WR, San Franciso 49ers, 1972 (10th/#257)
Dave Lawson, PK, New York Giants, 1976 (16th/#444)
Chad Hennings, DT, Dallas Cowboys, 1988 (11th/#290)
Joe Wood, PK, Houston Oilers, 1992 (12th/#332)
Steve Russ, LB, Denver Broncos, 1995 (7th/#218)
Dan Palmer, OL, San Diego Chargers, 1996 (6th/#178)
Bryce Fisher, DL, Buffalo Bills, 1998 (7th/#248)
Austin Cutting, LS, Minnesota Vikings, 2019 (7th/#250)
Jordan Jackson, DT, New Orleans Saints, 2022 (6th/#198)
Trey Taylor, S, Las Vegas Raiders, 2024 (7th/#223)
7 Trey Taylor, FS
6-0, 210, Sr., Frisco, TX (Frisco Lone Star)
– 2023 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Winner
– 2023 Defender of the Nation Award Winner
– AFCA First-Team All-American
– Associated Press Third-Team All-American
2023 — Winner of the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, first-ever winner for Air Force … only the second player to win one of CFB’s major awards, joining Chad Hennings, winning of the 1987 Outland Trophy … winner of the Defender of the Nation Award, the second Falcon and first since Kyle Johnson in 2019 to win the award … first-team All-American by AFCA, the first Falcon since 2010 to earn first-team honors … third-team All-America by Associated Press … first Falcon to earn AP honors since Weston Steelhammer in 2016 … first-team all-MW selection … first-team all-Colorado by the National Football Foundation … third on the team in tackles with 74 and solo stops with 40 … sixth in the MW in INTs (.20) … three tackles and an INT vs. UNLV … matched his season high with 10 tackles at CSU, including a stop on fourth-and-one to force a turnover on downs … eight tackles at Navy … season-high 10 tackles, including seven unassisted, and a TFL for 12 yards vs. Wyoming … also blocked a PAT, the first block by a Falcon since 2021, to keep the score tied 27-all in the fourth quarter … named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week … three tackles, two PBU, INT vs. SDSU … returned INT 30 yards for first-career TD … eight tackles, TFL and INT at San Jose State … returned the INT 51 yards to set up a TD … six tackles, career-best 2.0 TFL and a sack vs. Utah State … six tackles, TFL vs. RMU … preseason all-MW … Bronco Nagurski (Defensive Player), Jim Thorpe (Defensive Back), Chuck Bednarik (Defensive Player), Senior Bowl Watch Lists.
2022 – Started all 13 games … second-team all-MW and first-team all-Colorado … led the team in tackles with 69 and solo stops with 41 … three tackles vs. Baylor in the bowl game … five tackles, TFL, INT and PBU vs. SDSU, INT came in the endzone in the fourth quarter … eight or more tackles in a game three times … four tackles vs. Colorado State … five tackles and a sack for 15 yards vs. Army, also had a PBU … eight tackles vs. Boise State … five tackles at UNLV…went over the 100-tackle mark for his career … season-high nine tackles and a TFL at Utah State … six tackles and a TFL vs. Navy … three tackles vs. Nevada … six tackles, a tackle for loss and second INT of his career at Wyoming … four tackles vs. Colorado … team-best eight tackles vs. UNI, including six unassisted…also had a pass breakup … leads all active Falcons in career tackles with 131.
2021 – Played in 10 games, all starts … second on the team in tackles with 62 … led team with three 10-plus tackle games … team- and game-high 10 tackles vs. Louisville in bowl game … also had a PBU … three tackles and a TFL vs. UNLV … one tackle and a PBU at Nevada … eight tackles and first-career INT at Colorado State … back-to-back games with 10-plus tackles earlier this season, averaging 10.5 per game … team-best 10 tackles vs. Army … career-high 11 tackles vs. SDSU, ties as the most by a Falcon this year … six tackles at Boise State … team-high seven tackles vs. Wyoming…first time to lead the team in tackles … recorded four tackles, all solo, a sack for 11 yards a forced fumble and three pass breakups vs. FAU in his first-career game … missed the first three games of the season … returned to Academy after missing 2020.
2020 – Did not see any action.
2019 – Did not see any action.
High School – Lettered four years in track and field and two in football … earned all-state honors in football twice … was named defensive player of the week twice as a senior … set the school record for interceptions in a season with seven … high school football coach was Jeff Rayburn … member of the National Honor Society … graduated Cum Laude … earned second-team academic all-state honors.
Personal – Parents are Tyree Taylor and Courtney Caldwell … has three siblings, Trenton, Timothy and Joseph … majored in economics with a minor in Spanish … graduated in December, 2023 … member of cadet squadron 13 … NFL Hall-of-Famer Ed Reed is his cousin … would like to attend pilot training after graduation … enjoys fishing, working out, playing pool, table tennis and basketball … also enjoys cooking.
Career Highs
UT:……………… 9, San Diego State, 2021
AT:……………… 7, Colorado State, 2021
TOT:……………. 11, San Diego State, 2021
TFL:…………….. 2.0, Utah State, 2023
Career Statistics
Tackles
Year G U-A-T TFL Sacks INT
2023 13 40-34-74 4.5-18 0.5-3 3-97
2022 13 41-28-69 4.5-18 1.0-15 2-15
2021 10 39-23-62 1.5-15 1.0-11 1-0
Total 36 120-82-205 10.5-51 2.5-30 6-112
40 Alec Mock, ILB
6-3, 240, Sr.
Weddington, NC
(Weddington)
2023 — Started all 13 games … second-team all-MW … led the team in tackles with 93 and unassisted stops with 53 … 10th in the MW in tackles (7.2) … fourth on team in TFL with 5.0 for 25 yards … four games with double figure tackles … team-high 10 tackles vs. Hawaii … nine tackles vs. Army … seven tackles and his first-career INT, returning it 18 yards for his first-career TD, at Navy … team-high 10 total tackles vs. Wyoming, third 10-plus tackle game of the year … team-high six tackles and a TFL vs. SDSU … six tackles and a FF at San Jose State … matched season-high with 11 tackles vs. Utah State, including a career-best eight solo stops and 2.0 sacks … also had a forced fumble, PBU and QB hurry … season-best-tying 11 tackles at Sam Houston, most tackles by a Falcon this season … earned MW Defensive Player of the Week honors … led all active players in tackles (224).
2022 – Started 11 games, missing two due to injury … third on the team in tackles with 65…also had 5.0 TFL for 19 yards and a sack for eight yards …. second on the team with six QB hurries … five tackles and a PBU vs. Baylor in the bowl game … seven tackles vs. Colorado State … three tackles, a sack and a PBU vs. New Mexico … five tackles at Utah State … QB hurry in four straight games … career highs of 13 tackles and 1.5 TFL vs. Navy … also had a QB hurry … then-season-high eight tackles, 0.5 TFL and a QBH vs. Nevada … six tackles, a TFL and a QB hurry at Wyoming … five tackles, fumble recovery and QB hurry vs. Colorado … recorded three total tackles and a TFL for one yard vs. UNI.
2021 – Played in 11 games, starting nine … fifth on the team in tackles with 53…also had 1.5 TFL, a sack and a forced fumble … six tackles vs. Louisville in bowl game … five tackles and a fumble recovery vs. UNLV … four tackles at Nevada … three tackles at Colorado State … four tackles vs. SDSU … season-high 11 tackles and a TFL at Boise State … also had a tackle on fourth-and-goal to prevent a score … the 11 stops tied as the most by a Falcon in 2021 … four tackles and a TFL vs. Wyoming … three tackles and a forced fumble at New Mexico … team-high seven tackles vs. FAU, matching his career high in tackles … recorded four total tackles vs. Lafayette.
2020 – Played in three games, starting two … missed the final three games of the season due to injury … two tackles vs. Boise State … four tackles at San Jose State in his first-career start … tied for the team lead in tackles with a career-high seven vs. Navy in his first-career game, also had a sack for seven yards
High School – Lettered in football and track … team was three-time state champions … three-time all-conference selection … two-time all-region selection … earned all-state honors as a senior … earned conference defensive most valuable player honors as a senior … named all-area defensive most valuable player his senior year … threw the shot put and discus in track … two-time state champion in the shot put … high school football coach was Andy Capone … earned a 4.06 grade point average.
Personal – Son of Jason and Ashleigh Mock … has one sister … majoring in management … hobbies include hunting and fishing.
Career Highs
UT:……………… 8, Utah State, 2023
AT:……………… 11, Navy, 2022
TOT:……………. 13, Navy, 2022
TFL:…………….. 2.0, Utah State, 2023
Career Statistics
Tackles
Year G U-A-T TFL Sacks
2023 13 53-40-93 5.0-25 2.0-14
2022 11 24-41-65 5.0-19 1.0-8
2021 11 32-21-53 1.5-1 1.0-1
2020 3 3-10-13 1.0-7 1.0-7
Total 38 112-112-224 12.5-52 5.0-30
8 Bo Richter, Edge/OLB
6-2, 250, Sr.
Naperville, IL
(Naperville North)
2023 – Played all 13 games, starting 12 … first-team all-MW … first-team all-Colorado by National Football Foundation … led team in TFL with 19.5 for 116 yards and sacks with 10.0 for 95 yards … led the MW and ranked eighth nationally in TFL with 1.5 norm … third in the MW and 15th nationally in sacks with .80 avg … 10 sacks are the fifth most in program history and most since 1994 … at least one TFL in 11 games … recorded five tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss for 33 yards and 3.0 sacks for 31 yards vs. James Madison in the Armed Forces Bowl … also had four quarterback hurries … his 4.5 TFL set a program record for a bowl game while his 3.0 sacks tied a program record for a bowl game … named to the Associated Press All-Bowl team … three tackles and a sack vs. UNLV … career-high 10 tackles, a TFL and PBU vs. Army … sack, forced and recovered fumble to set up a TD at Colorado State … came with AF trailing 10-7 … seven total and 4.0 TFL at Navy … three tackles, 2.0 TFL and a sack vs. Wyoming … four tackles, two TFL, sack and two QBH vs. San Diego State … four tackles and two sacks vs. Sam Houston … three tackles, a TFL and FF vs. Robert Morris.
2022 – Played in in 13 games, starting five, playing defensive end, inside and outside linebacker … fourth on the team in TFLs with 5.5 for 20 yards, also had three QBH … two tackles and a QBH vs. SDSU … returned to the lineup vs. Colorado State after missing the New Mexico game, had one tackle … two tackles and 0.5 TFL vs. Army … two tackles and a QB hurry vs. Boise State … four tackles and 1.5 TFL for nine yards at Utah State … career highs of seven tackles and 1.5 TFL vs. Navy … one tackle and a TFL vs. Nevada … two tackles, a TFL and a QB hurry vs. CU … recorded two tackles vs. UNI.
2021 – Played in 11 games, starting the final two games of the season … three tackles and 0.5 TFL vs. Louisville in bowl game … career-high-tying four tackles vs. UNLV in his first-career start … also had a sack for -7 yards … career-high four tackles and first-career INT at Nevada.
2020 – Did not see any action.
2019 – Did not see any action.
High School – Lettered two years each in football and lacrosse … earned all-conference and all-area honors in football … all-conference honoree in lacrosse … high school football coach was Sean Drendel … was a four-time academic all-conference selection.
Personal – Parents are Dave and Stephanie Richter … has two siblings, Val and Robbie … uncle, Kent Graham, played college football at Notre Dame and Ohio State and in the NFL with the New York Giants … majored in business management … graduated in December, 2023 … hobbies include fishing and golf.
Career Highs
UT:……………… 6, Navy, 2023
AT:……………… 7, Navy, 2022
TOT:……………. 10, Navy, 2023
TFL:…………….. 4.5, James Madison, 2023
Career Statistics
Tackles
Year G U-A-T TFL Sacks
2023 13 34-11-45 19.5-116 10.0-95
2022 12 7-19-26 5.5-20 0.0-0
2021 11 5-8-13 1.5-7 1.5-7
Total 36 46-38-84 26.5-143 11.5-102
