After an alleged domestic violence incident led to his dismissal at Georgia last July, Jonathan Taylor signed with Alabama in January as one of Nick Saban‘s second-chance signees. Less than three months later, Taylor is making his new head coach look rather foolish and/or naïve.
Both Aaron Suttles of TideSports.com and Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News are reporting that Taylor is once again facing charges related to a domestic incident earlier today. According to the Tuscaloosa Police Department’s website, Taylor is facing charges of domestic violence/assault and domestic violence/criminal mischief.
At this moment, details of what led to the defensive tackle’s arrest have not been released. Taylor remains in jail in lieu of a pair of $500 bonds.
Taylor has been participating with his new Tide teammates in spring practice, even as his initial signing caused enough of a controversy that the school felt the need to address it in a statement. It would seem unlikely that Saban would allow the lineman to remain on his squad, not with two domestic violence arrests in less than a year littering his record, the first of which is still pending in the state of Georgia. Additionally, Taylor was one of four UGA players arrested last March on theft by deception charges.
Taylor was a four-star member of the Bulldogs’ 2012 recruiting class, rated as the No. 7 defensive tackle in the country and the No. 5 player at any position in the state of Georgia. After taking a redshirt his true freshman season, Taylor played in 10 games in 2013. He spent the 2014 season at the JUCO level.
Overall, it’s been a rough last 24 hours or so for the Tide off the field.
Late Friday night, defensive back Geno Smith was arrested for driving under the influence. It was the senior’s second drunk-driving arrest in less than two years, prompting him to issue a public apology on Twitter.