Huskies’ Taylor Rapp selected in second round of NFL draft by Los Angeles Rams

Washington safety Taylor Rapp has been selected in the second round (61st overall pick) in the NFL draft, following Byron Murphy as the second defensive back from UW selected in this draft.

Since 2013, the Huskies have now had seven defensive backs selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. With Kaleb McGary, Byron Murphy, Drew Sample and now Rapp going in the first two rounds, the Huskies matched the program’s record for players taken in the first two rounds of any draft (from 2015 and 2017).

Rapp, a Bellingham native, is the first-ever NFL draft pick out of Sehome High School.

Rapp’s mother is from China, his father is from Canada, making Rapp one of the few players of Chinese heritage ever selected in the NFL draft.

As a true freshman at UW, Rapp became a surprising starter at safety just a few weeks into the 2016 season. He had two interceptions — including one returned for a touchdown — in the 2016 Pac-12 championship game against Colorado, helping the Huskies win their first conference title in 16 years.

Rapp was a first-team all-Pac-12 selection in 2017 and 2018, and an ESPN All-American last fall, when he posted 59 tackles, two interceptions and a team-high five sacks.