Kane Wommack Just Told You What Alabama DB to Look Out For

Alabama DB Ivan Taylor was built for this game. 

His father, Ike, played 12 years in the NFL, all with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning two Super Bowls.

And Ivan wants more than that.

"My biggest thing is just trying to be better than him," Taylor said. "Whatever I'm able to do to do that, I will. [I’m] Scouting my dad, I think a big thing was it was kind of just me on my own. It was like going to YouTube, just looking at him, how I'm able to really just be like him."

Judging by how Taylor treats every day on the football field, you can see how seriously he approaches the game.

Last season as a freshman, Taylor largely saw the field as a special teamer, but there was plenty of room for growth.

One offseason later, and everyone in the facility noticed how he carried himself.

Prior to the season starting, Alabama captain Zabien Brown sang his praises about what it takes to play at Alabama.

"I.T., he just puts in the work," Brown said. "He's like the perfect example, you know, of the standard at Bama, between preparation, he's in here early, stays late, and the focus he has for a young guy, you know, he moves around like a vet."

That last comment holds more weight than ever.

Next season, players like Brown will likely enter the NFL Draft, and Bray Hubbard will have exhausted all of his eligibility.

Having players like Taylor embrace those expectations will only help preserve the Bama Standard moving forward.

Taylor has started to see more opportunities in Alabama's secondary, particularly with Brown missing a game and a half due to injury. He's also earned the trust of defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.

This past week, Taylor nearly intercepted LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt in the end zone to prevent LSU from tying the game in the first half.

“I’m really, really proud of I.T.,” Wommack said on Monday. “He’s another guy that you can say has extended his role for us. I think he’s got a great skill set, and it’s been awesome to watch him grow and mature. His fundamentals have gotten more consistent so we just trust him to be out on the field. So, I.T.’s got a really bright future here.”

One thing is for sure: Taylor isn't simply trying to make a name for himself in college football. He's chasing something bigger.