Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Ten(ish) Questions with ... DE Devin Taylor

Each week during the season, we'll chat with a different Detroit Lions player or coach for a look at their lives on and off the field in a feature called "Ten(ish) Questions With ..."

Previous Ten(ish) Questions With: TE Joseph Fauria; LB Tahir Whitehead; CB Darius Slay; QB Shaun Hill; WR Kevin Ogletree; C Dominic Raiola; WR Kris Durham; DT Justin Bannan; TE Brandon Pettigrew.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Devin Taylor stands out.

He has blue hair, won the triple jump in high school at 6-foot-7, and was a pain for opposing offenses during his time at South Carolina. Now in his rookie year with the Detroit Lions, he has recorded eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.

He’s seen more time the past two months as an injury replacement for Jason Jones and then Ziggy Ansah.

We caught up with Taylor to chat video games, football and the bands he has on his arms.

What’s your favorite football memory?

Devin Taylor: Hmm, I would say probably making my first-ever start in college. Just because almost like everyone talked about the level of competition changed so much from high school to college, and there were always a lot of doubts to whether I’d be big enough, fast enough and all that stuff. That first game kind of showed, my freshman year and everything, what I could possibly do, or the potential for me to do better things later on.

Is it something you knew you could do, or did it prove something to you?

Taylor: It was almost like working out at practice, winning reps in drills and stuff like that, and not really getting a chance to show what I can do in game situations and stuff because it was only at practice, so finally when I got the opportunity to show, I just showed out.

When you’re not playing football, what do you do?

Taylor: I do a variety of things. Fishing, possible video game stuff. Going to the movies.

Possible video game stuff? What does that mean?

Taylor: You know, I have a couple of gaming consoles. Sometimes go to the arcade and play some games.

You go to actual arcades?

Taylor: If I can find one that’s reputable. Not just any one.

Is there an arcade game that you’re focused on?

Taylor: It just varies when I get there. Sometimes I’ll do putt-putt golf, that’s fun to do as well.

When you show up at an arcade, are people like ‘Who is this 6-7 guy?’

Taylor: Just get a lot of looks for being tall. Mostly people trying to figure out who I am most of the time.

You pretty good at video games?

Taylor: I’d say I’m proficient. You can’t really say you’re good at something.

So what’s your game?

Taylor: Me? I’d probably say right now Call of Duty or a racing game, either or. The last one I played was the latest Need for Speed that came out. There’s supposed to be a new one coming out later that I might check out.

You also have all the bands that you wear on your arms, how often do you add to those?

Taylor: I don’t usually add most of the time. It’s people I’m randomly talking to and they may have a band that represents another person or a cause or a foundation or something like that. They’ll see mine and say, ‘Hey, do you want one for this?’ They’ll tell me the story behind it, and most of the time, it’s yes and I’ll put it on for that.

Which is the first one?

Taylor: These four (up on his right wrist), they are actually the first four. It first started with my team chaplain (at South Carolina). He was talking about four chairs and stuff and how there is significant meaning behind each chair. You almost want to be like in the first or second chair, society and roles in life and everything like that. That was one of the major things. This other one was actually, one of my former teammates from high school ended up getting thyroid cancer so he ended up going through surgery twice in order to get that stuff. My high school mom had made bands for him and everything, so that’s how I got that one.

Does each one have a meaning to you?

Taylor: Yeah.

What does ‘Zig The Pig’ mean?

Taylor: This one is actually a kid’s foundation, it’s called Children’s Chance (a charity dealing with kids with pediatric cancer). ... Every year back in South Carolina we’d have a dinner where we’d eat and sit with them, you know, talk with them. It was a good time and everything.

You ever worry they’ll get ripped off?

Taylor: I’ve had a few ripped off, but for the most part I’ll either wear long sleeves or I’ll tape up part of it.

Do you wear long sleeves because of that?

Taylor: No, I wear long sleeves because they are comfortable. Yeah, it’s not so much covering these up. It’s just comfortable to me to wear long sleeves.

You going to run out of room on the arms?

Taylor: Yeah, I figure when I get to a certain number, I’ll make a necklace or get a chain and wrap it around.

Do you know the number?

Taylor: Probably 50.

That’s an ambitious goal.

Taylor: Not really. It’s not out of reach. I have about 30 on right now.

Where’d you get the idea for it?

Taylor: I always used to have rubber bands, wrist bands on my wrist growing up, and then there was a one period where I had silly bands with animals and stuff, so I had those on. Then they came out with these different bands, so I pretty much started wearing those.

When did you start with this?

Taylor: Three years ago. Junior year of college.

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