2012: Saw time in five games -- vs. South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois and in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl vs. Mississippi State -- as a reserve offensive lineman.
2011: Played in two games as a sophomore, against Eastern Illinois and Rice.
2010: Did not see action ... Named team's offensive practice player of the week vs. Penn State.
2009: Did not see action ... Named team's offensive practice player of the week vs. Penn State.
High School: Rivals.com All-Region and SuperPrep All-Midlands Region offensive lineman ... Ranked 11th among all players in Colorado by Rivals.com (fourth among all offensive linemen) and 83rd among all players in the Midlands Region (nine states) by SuperPrep ... Ranked 123rd nationally among all offensive guards by ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc. ... Concluded prep career with a stellar senior season, picking up first-team all-state honors from the Denver Post ... Also tabbed a first-team All-Colorado selection by the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News ... First-team All-Centennial League and academic all-state selection in 2008 ... An honorable mention all-conference and academic all-state honoree in 2007 ... Three-year starter who only allowed three sacks during prep career ... Helped lead the Bruins to an 11-3 record in 2008 and a second-place finish in the 5A state championship ... Also lettered in track and field (throws) ... High Honor Roll every semester ... Coached by Mike Brookhart.
Personal: Born Taylor Leftwich Paxton ... Son of Ron and Julie Paxton ... History major.
The Paxton File
Q: Name five favorite songs (and artist) on your I-Pod:
A: "Shining On" -- Big D & The Kids Table; "Otherside" -- Red Hot Chili Peppers; "Viva La Gloria!" -- Green Day; "Laura" -- Flogging Molly; "Free Bird" -- Lynyrd Skynyrd
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be and why?
A: My grandfather. My dad always tells me stories about him and I would've have loved to met him.
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: What you want most does not come easy. It takes hard work and dedication.
Q: A song that best describes you and why?
A: "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I feel it pretty much captures how I try to live, just keep it simple and you'll have a good life.
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is:
A: I am a terrible skier. Most people assume that since I'm from Colorado I am a skier. I've been a few times, but I really don't like to ski.
Q: My favorite place to visit and why?
A: Currently, it would be Colorado, my parents moved to Missouri after I started school at Northwestern, so I don't get back there as much as I would like to. It's always great to get back and see all my friends where I grew up.
Q: Which current NU football player is the biggest jokester on the team and why?
A: Mike Trumpy. He's always playing pranks on us, especially Brian Smith, and he cracks us up constantly.
Q: My favorite thing about NU is and why?
A: It's great being so close to Chicago. I'm always a short train ride away from some of the greatest sports venues in the country, and there is nothing like a Blackhawks' game.
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: My teammates. We're all a great big family and look out for each other and it's great knowing you always have your brothers around you.
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: Passionate, motivated, fiery, bleeds purple
Q: Describe your position coach in five words or less:
A: Motivating, teacher, gets results
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: My first practice my freshman year at NU. It is a complete culture shock. I knew then I wasn't in high school anymore.
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement and why?
A: Getting a scholarship at NU to play football. I've been playing since I was six years old, so to be able to play in college and at this level made all the hard work worth it.
Q: The best book I have ever read is and why?
A: Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. It's a very strong story of soldiers in Vietnam. I'm pretty sure I read the entire book in less than three days.
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: My dad. He's always been my rock. He played quarterback for an NAIA school, but was injured his freshman year and could no longer play after the injury. He's always been helping me with athletics. Whether it was teaching me to long snap, throw or anything. I can always talk to him about playing football because he went through it and he can relate to me.
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: Matt Lepsis, former offensive lineman for the Denver Broncos. I have always played offensive line so I guess my dream of touching the ball died early for me.
Q: My favorite pregame ritual is:
A: The last two songs I listen to before I head to the field: "The Game" by Motorhead -- I've always like pro wrestling and it's one of the wrestler's intro songs. It gets me fired up to go out into the arena. And "The Ka Mate Haka" -- it's a war chant the New Zealand rugby team always chants before a match and it gets me really fired up.
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would you pick and why?
A: Officer Farva from Super Troopers. I feel that role would fit me pretty well.
Q: My favorite food is:
A: My dad's homemade fried chicken. He finally showed me how to make it so hopefully I can do it justice.
Q: My favorite thing about playing at Ryan Field is:
A: Our sideline. We have the most energetic sideline in the country and when we have the whole team there it really makes the games fun and gets the guys on the field going.
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: Scoop and scoring on a fumble recovery. But most probable would be plowing open a massive hole in the defense for a big run.
Q: My favorite television show is and why?
A: Justified. It's an awesome cop show and there's really nothing else like it right now.
Q: If I were not playing football, I would be:
A: Most likely back in Colorado and playing rec softball. I've played baseball since I was little and would love to play.
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Simple, chill and sensible
Q: My football-related superstition is:
A: I always listen to the same songs before I take the field
Q: If the Big Ten expands in the future, pick one school you'd like to see added and why?
A: Texas. I grew up a Texas A&M fan and would love to beat the Longhorns, especially in Austin.
Q: Which FORMER NU football student-athlete has had the most impact on your Wildcat career and why?
A: Kurt Mattes. He really helped me with the transition here and took all three of our offensive linemen in my class under his wing.
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