ASU’s 50 Best Professional Athletes: No. 9 Football’s Charley Taylor

Charley Taylor is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played for the Washington Redskins for 13 seasons (1964-1977).

Taylor attended ASU from 1960-1963, and originally doubled as a two-sport athlete who pitched and played third base for the ASU baseball team before suffering an injury on the diamond.

On the gridiron, Taylor was a two-way player who was used primarily as a running back and defensive back before serving as a returner in his final year. He earned All-American honors twice before leaving as a junior.

Washington drafted Taylor with the third overall pick of the 1964 NFL Draft (he was also drafted ninth overall by the Houston Oilers in the 1964 AFL Draft, but declined to play for them).

Entering his third season in the league, Taylor was converted to wide receiver. He led the NFL in receptions for two consecutive years, hauling in at least 70 passes during the 1966 and 1967 seasons.

During his career, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Taylor would make eight Pro Bowl appearances (1964-1967, 1972-1975) while earning First-Team (1969) and Second-Team All-Pro (1964, 1967) honors.

By the time he retired in 1978, Taylor was the league’s all-time receptions leader, tallying 649 receptions for 9,110 yards and 79 touchdowns.

Following retirement, he worked as a scout for Washington before becoming a receivers coach under Joe Gibbs in 1981. He held the position until 1994.

Along with his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 1984, Taylor is a member of the Arizona State Sports Hall of Fame and Washington’s Ring of Fame.

Check back tomorrow to see who will be No. 8 on our list of the 50 best professional athletes to come out of Arizona State.