Taylor Groves has a unique story. The former four-star Ole Miss football safety opened Volunteer State Community College’s season this week with a 46-point performance.
Not on the gridiron, but the hardwood.
Once pursued by other SEC programs like Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky and Texas A&M, Groves stunned recruiters when he stepped away from football last winter to focus on basketball. He was Lane Kiffin's third-highest recruit in the 2022 class and tried to make it work in Oxford. However, his path went a much different direction.
“It’s just taught me to never give up on myself,” Groves told Main Street Preps. “I was mentally messed up at Ole Miss … so I moved back home to clear my head.”
Groves scored his 46 points against Snead State Community College on 16-for-28 shooting from the field, 8-for-11 from 3-point range and 6-6 from the free throw line. He also added six rebounds and four assists to his totals.
Former Ole Miss DB Taylor Groves (@iamtaylorgroves) just dropped a 50-ball in his team’s home opener🪣😳 pic.twitter.com/zlESwpdJkP
— Rising Ballers Network (@dylan_lutey) November 5, 2025
Some injuries derailed his football career, but they paved the way for a breakout at VSCC, just miles from his hometown in Cross Plains, Tennessee.
The 6-foot-2 guard averaged over 20 points, six rebounds and six assists last year. Now the 46-spot puts him back on the Power Four radar in basketball.
Groves is proving that his athletic abilities were never limited to one sport.
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