Walk-on to All-American

Michael Taaffe has developed into one of the more reliable defensive backs in the 2026 NFL Draft, with great communication, leadership, work ethic, and athleticism. Starting off as a walk-on at Texas, before being put on scholarship by Coach Sark, Taaffe developed into one of the defense’s most consistent, and depandle assets.

“Man, it was a long stretch, a bumpy road for me. But I’m so grateful for every single opportunity that I had because, man, you learn so much down the road being a walk-on,” Taaffe said, looking back on his journey. His all around athleticism made him a problem to stop, making impacts game after game. His skills aloud him to play roles as a defensive back(safety), and important piece to the special teams unit. Taaffe constantly produced at a high level, being a communicator in the secondary pre- and post-snap. Taaffe excels at being able to get through traffic and recognize routes.

Taaffe earned, 2025 First-Team All-SEC, 2025 First-Team AFCA All-American, and 2024 Second-Team AP All-American honors, while recording 222 tackles (119 solo), 3 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, 7 interceptions, and 14 pass breakups during his time with the Longhorns. His production shows his consistency to make plays and have impacts on games.

Blue chip to Draft

A former blue-chip recruit out of Manor High School in Texas, Latrell McCutchin entered college as one of the more highly regarded defensive backs in his class. He started his career at Oklahoma before transferring to USC then, Houston. Latrell said this about ending up at Houston,

“You know, I was originally from Austin, so being at Houston was a plus and a plus with my brother being there. and just me being able to be there for my family in general.”

McCutchin developed into a long, versatile defensive back, with the ability of playing outside corner, nickel, or sometimes safety. His length, athleticism, and competitiveness allow him to contest throws and interrupt routes. Although he continues to improve his technique and ball production, McCutchin presents a great developmental upside for NFL teams looking for depth at cornerback and immediate special teams contributions.

“Man, I just feel like, you know, versatility is definitely a big selling point for me… I can be the best player on the field at special teams. I can be the best player on the field at corner. I can play in a slot… So I just kind of feel like being versatile and being smart and having that IQ that I have is something to play to my advantage. ” McCutchin said.

McCutchin was named, 2025 Second-Team All-Big12, after racking up 52 tackes (39 solo), 9 pass break ups, a sack along with a forced fumble in his senior season at Houston.

Who is BamPerformance?

Bernard “Bam” Blake, founder of Bam Performance, is one of Texas’ top defensive back trainers. Over the years, he has developed NFL talent including first-round pick and Jim Thorpe award winner Jahdae Barron, second-round pick Andrew Mukuba, All-American Leonard Moore, alongside a handful of others, helping players build good habits and develop the skills and footwork of a defensive back.

Both Michael Taaffe and Latrell McCutchin have spent years training under Bam Blake, developing their skills, versatility, and football IQ under his guidance. Their time with BamPerformance has been a vital part of their growth, both on and off the field.

Michael Taaffe has been training with Bam for years, long before the NFL Draft process began. “Yeah, well, don’t let Bam post that first clip that he has of me when I was a sophomore in high school. It didn’t look very pretty,” Taaffe said with a laugh. “I’d rather take the ones from a couple weeks ago.” That relationship has been a big part of his development, helping him improve footwork, agility/change of direction, and coverage instincts while also improving leadership and confidence on and off the field.

Over the years, Taaffe describes Bam as more than just a trainer, a guide who pushed him to be accountable, focused, and persistent in his draft preparation. The consistent training and mentorship at Bam Performance became a critical part of Taaffe’s growth, shaping both his physical skills and football IQ as he prepared for professional opportunities. Taaffe reflected on his long time training with Bam, saying,

“But, man… the things we’ve done and the knowledge I’ve learned from Bam about the defensive back position… the footwork, mindset, and physical ability… I’ve learned a lot from my boy Bam.

Latrell McCutchin’s relationship with Bam Blake has also grown over the years, starting in high school and all the way through his college career, including his time at Oklahoma andHouston. With Latrell saying,“ We’ve been training together for, I mean, close to eight years, and it’s been nothing but a blessing for sure. ” The constant guidance over the years focused on improving technique, building versatility, and strengthening football fundamentals. McCutchin gives credit to Bam with helping him prepare for the NFL, physically and mentally.

“Yeah, I mean, trust is definitely a two-way street, so being able to trust him with my career, being able to trust him with my training is something that… it took some time, but at the same time, I know him like the back of my hand at this point,” he said.

More than a trainer

For both players, Bam has impacted their lives beyond speed drills and positional work. Years of building trust, and that trust created an environment that makes Bam more than just a trainer, but family. With Latrell saying:

“Bam is much more than just a trainer for us. He’s definitely family. Being able to build that relationship, being able to build that bond through the game with him is something that, I mean, honestly, I didn’t think that I’d ever be able to do with anybody, but he’s literally like a big brother to me, and I’m thankful for everything that he’s done for us.”

The same goes for Taaffe. Years of training with Bam Performance helped his skills and football IQ, but their relationship goes much further than just the on field work. For him, Bam has been a big brother and mentor, guiding him not only in the game of football but in the game of life, teaching him responsibility, character, and how to be a man, traits that matter in not just football but more importantly life. Taaffe said,

“So he’s a big bro to me. He’s not my coach. He’s a big bro. And he’s a mentor. He holds himself the right way. You know, holds the door for ladies. He says no, ma’am, yes, ma’am. He picks up trash when somebody littered. So he’s taught me a lot about how to be a man.”