Michael Taaffe, a Texas S, has announced his return for his last season.
The Texas Longhorns received some good news Tuesday night when redshirt junior safety Michael Taaffe confirmed his return for his last season on the Forty Acres, amid six players declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft over three days.
My childhood desire was to play at the University of Texas. Playing in the burnt orange was always a dream come true, which is why these past four years have been so precious to me. More than anything, though, I wanted to win the national title. The last two postseason trips are a clear indication of how much my teammates and I have invested in each other. However, the mission and the job are not yet complete. Time to complete that mission. In his introductory video, Taaffe stated, “Let’s run it back, Longhorn Nation.”
Taaffe stated that he wanted to walk with his class, which is why he decided to accept accolades on Senior Day against Florida back in November, but he would not rule out going back. Taaffe, who stands 6’0 and weighs 195 pounds, participated in track at Austin Westlake and was a playmaker on head coach Todd Dodge’s defense. As a junior, he recorded 37 tackles with a sack, three interceptions (one of which was returned for a score), and one fumble recovery. Taaffe won the Defensive MVP award in 2019 after defeating Denton Guyer 24-0 in the 6A-Division II state championship game.
Taaffe assumed a more significant role as a senior, participating in all three phases and recording 60 tackles (48 solo), seven tackles for loss, five interceptions, seven quarterback rushes, and one fumble recovery. He also caught 18 passes for 297 yards, three touchdowns, and added 19 punt returns for 356 yards (18.7 ypr).
Against Southlake Carroll and his current teammate Quinn Ewers in another state championship game, Taaffe once again won Defensive MVP after intercepting Ewers twice, including a spectacular leaping one-handed interception against the star quarterback. Following his impressive career with the Chaps, Taaffe received offers from Brown and Colgate in addition to a preferred walk-on position at Rice. However, he chose to stay close to home and place a wager on his ability to eventually make it onto the field at Texas by accepting a walk-on position there a few weeks after the decisive victory over Southlake Carroll.
Taaffe didn’t play for the Longhorns in 2021, but he did have an effect on the depth chart in the spring, returning to the Orange-White game as the second-team nickel.
When Taaffe hosted 2023 No. 1 recruit Arch Manning in the summer of 2022 and assisted the Longhorns in obtaining the quarterback’s highly sought-after commitment, his career as a key player for Texas took off. Taaffe participated in all 12 games of the 2022 regular season, recording 25 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and a pass broken up. He also contributed at nickel back and safety in addition to playing on special teams.
Taaffe assumed a more significant position for the Horns when Texas offered him a scholarship in December 2022. He played in all 14 games with nine starts, with 48 tackles (28 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two pass breakups, and one blocked punt, earning him All-Big 12 honorable mention. Taaffe became the first Longhorns player to intercept passes in three consecutive games since DeShon Elliott in 2017.
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In 2024, Taaffe’s success continued when he led an improved Texas secondary with Clemson transfer Andrew Mukuba. He finished second on the team with 78 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, 10 passes broken up, and one forced fumble. Up to the Peach Bowl victory over Arizona State, Taaffe didn’t give up a touchdown in coverage throughout the season or more than 21 yards in a single game when targeted.