Tayvion Galloway ready to usher in new era of dominance at LSU
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (BVM) 鈥� At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Tayvion Galloway brings size and athleticism to whatever sport he plays. In seventh grade, one of those sports became football.聽
Just a few years later, the four-star tight end has become one of the top prospects in the nation, and is committed to an SEC powerhouse.
Back in seventh grade, it was Galloway鈥檚 uncle who introduced him to football. Prior to that, he had primarily been a basketball star.
鈥淚t was my uncle who really got me into football,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淭he only other sport that I had played was basketball 鈥� That was the main sport that I always grew up loving.鈥�
However, during a game in his first year on the gridiron, Galloway made a one-handed catch over the middle of the field. At that moment, he realized football could be his sport. He also relished playing a physical, yet versatile position at tight end.
鈥淲hat I really just love about that position is the versatility,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淵ou can do a lot, you can really get physical, and you can go out there on the receiving end 鈥� A tight end will definitely help out a good football team a lot.鈥�
Fast forward a couple of years, and Galloway has now become the No. 4-ranked tight end in the Class of 2024, and the No. 84 player overall in his class . Yet, despite his quick emergence and high ranking, Galloway still strives to get better each day.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really think rankings are a big deal,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淭o me it鈥檚 just a motivator 鈥� Whatever I鈥檓 ranked, I feel like I gotta work. I feel like, if I鈥檓 the fourth tight end in the nation, you have to continue to try to outwork the three guys ahead of you so you can feel like you鈥檙e the best and be confident.鈥�
Galloway鈥檚 journey has not just been fueled by his hard work or his talent, either. His true motivations come from his family and his faith, and that has allowed him to get to this point.
鈥淭o me, family and God is really everything,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just what I grew up on, that鈥檚 what I was raised on. My family, that鈥檚 my biggest motivator. That鈥檚 what pushes me to do everything that I鈥檝e done so far 鈥� I鈥檓 extremely blessed.鈥�
That motivation helped Galloway as he transitioned to high school football. Playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at Unioto, the tight end continued to develop on the field, last year going for 192 yards and two touchdowns as he averaged 24 yards per catch. He also played multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball for the Shermans.
鈥淚鈥檝e just been learning and adapting to what it鈥檚 like to play in high school,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淚鈥檓 an upperclassman now, and I feel like I finally got the grasp of everything 鈥� I鈥檒l be ready for my junior year. I鈥檓 just really excited to show off my progression this year.鈥�
Galloway鈥檚 junior season will take place at Chillicothe High School. He transferred to the Cavaliers from Unioto last year based on Chillicothe鈥檚 hire of new football head coach, Scott Bartholomew, among other family-based decisions.
While he already played basketball for the Cavaliers last year, the opportunity to play for the school鈥檚 football program this fall is something Galloway relishes.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited with my decision and I鈥檓 really blessed to be a part of this Chillicothe football program,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad I鈥檓 able to be in this position. I think we鈥檙e going to go really far this season.鈥�
While Galloway also plans to play basketball again this winter, first comes the football season where the tight end will look to build on some of his best skills including his versatility, speed and ability to go up and get the ball.
Over the next two years, the 6-foot-5 standout believes he can leave a big impact on the Chillicothe program. To do that, he hopes to instill a winning culture that leads to a state championship.
鈥淲hile I鈥檓 at Chillicothe these next two years, I want to add on to the culture and put the light on Chillicothe football,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淲here I鈥檓 at and the things I鈥檓 doing is not really seen around this area. So I鈥檓 just trying to let people know that this is a thing that can happen to whoever puts the work in for it and it鈥檚 more reachable than people think.聽
鈥淚 want to bring a state championship to my city, for sure. That鈥檚 definitely something I鈥檓 trying to do. I鈥檓 trying to get everybody on the same page and just get everybody motivated.鈥�
While he still has two seasons at Chillicothe left, this summer, Galloway cemented his future beyond high school by committing to play football at LSU. He joins the and the top class as of right now in the SEC.
SEC it just means more.
— Tayvion Galloway (@TayvionGalloway)
鈥淟SU started recruiting me, I got the offer and I started building my connection even more with Coach Denbrock and Coach Kelly,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淎s I was learning more about the program, I fell in love with it. Especially when I took my first trip down there, it felt like home and it just felt like God was calling me there.鈥�
Galloway had offers from some other top-notch SEC programs such as Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tennessee, as well as some more local Big Ten interest from Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Indiana. However, as his recruitment began just over a year ago, it was LSU that firmly set itself apart.
鈥淭he thing that set me apart from them was really just the winning culture they have at LSU,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淓ven though they have a new coaching staff, the culture of that whole state, everybody down there just breathes and loves football, and I love that.鈥�
Part of Galloway鈥檚 decision ultimately came down to his relationship with the coaching staff. Brain Kelly is entering his first season as head coach at LSU, but is an accomplished leader who has won at every stop. Meanwhile, the Tigers鈥� offensive coordinator, Mike Denbrock, has had a relationship with the four-star tight end since he was recruiting him as part of Luke Fickell鈥檚 staff at Cincinnati.
鈥淐oach Denbrock was already recruiting me when he was at Cincinnati,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淓ver since I鈥檝e gotten to know him, he鈥檚 just been real genuine and he鈥檚 shown that he鈥檒l do a lot for me. That鈥檚 the type of coach I want to play for. He shows real love and I really appreciate that.聽
鈥淎nd then with Coach Kelly, it鈥檚 really just the same way. He鈥檚 just a real genuine dude. A lot of people have stuff to say about Coach Kelly, but I don鈥檛 listen to any of that. From what I know, he鈥檚 a great guy and a great coach. They both know how to use a tight end and I think they can help me get in the position that I want to succeed.鈥�
The Ohio to LSU pipeline doesn鈥檛 happen a lot. Prior to Spencer Ware in 2010, it had been around three decades since a player from the state suited up for the Tigers. However, the likes of George Brown, Charles Turner, Corey Kiner and Joe Burrow have all changed that narrative over the last decade.
Now, Galloway joins that group, and has also become one of Chillicothe鈥檚 highest-rated recruits in over two decades, following the path of another former tight end in Ben Hartsock who played at Unioto in the late 1990s.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really incredible thing,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淐oming from a small town like Chillicothe, Ohio, that鈥檚 really not seen a lot. Just the fact that I鈥檓 the person to be able to do that is a true blessing.鈥�
With the talent the program already has and a top recruiting class coming in, Galloway鈥檚 main goal is to be part of a national championship team while at LSU. He also hopes to shine on the field individually, getting himself ready for the next level.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to win a national championship whenever I get there and I definitely believe that we can do that when I get there,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淚 want to be a two-time All-American, I definitely want to get my diploma and graduate college. I just want it to be known that I鈥檓 the best tight end in the nation, possibly going into the NFL.鈥�
For most football players across the country, playing in the NFL someday has been a dream since they were very little. For Galloway, that dream has only existed for about a year. His continued growth and emergence not only has him as one of the top prospects in the state of Ohio, or one of the top recruits for a dominant college football program. It has him thinking that playing professional football someday is a possibility, and in a few years, that newfound dream could become reality.
鈥淚t鈥檚 surprising to a lot of people, but the dream of playing in the NFL, it鈥檚 only been with me for about a year,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淏asketball was my main sport and I really wanted to be an NBA guy, but God showed me that I had to take a different route. Having the potential to possibly be one of those guys that could have their name called on draft night 鈥� that moment only happens to a few guys in the whole world. Just to know I have that possibility motivates me more to keep working hard.鈥�
