The Millard South Patriots are bolstering their football team in 2026 with the additions of a pair of Nebraska football commits moving in from out of state in quarterback Trae Taylor and wide receiver Antayvious Ellis.
Taylor hails from Chicago, Ill., where he spent three years playing for Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein. He announced his intent to join the Patriots on social media Wednesday morning.
“I think the biggest thing is it was not as much of a decision as far as the high school play and all that,” Taylor told Hail Varsity. “I’ll stand by this. I love my high school coaches that are at Carmel Catholic, I love Coach (Jason) McKie, I love the players that are there; they’re going to have a good team. It’s more so the part about getting a jump start and a head start on the actual University of Nebraska and their offense. I’ll be an early enrollee, so I’ll have that head start there, but really getting that full year of a head start before my actual freshman year I think will be very beneficial for me.”
In his junior season with Carmel Catholic, the four-star signal caller completed 81.7% of his passes for 3,571 yards and 38 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
Since committing to the Huskers on May 1, 2025, Taylor has been very dedicated to the program, helping recruit and attending every game possible. He said that the coaches’ belief in him has kept him motivated.
“I was going to pick a school that best fit me, but also a school that was going to be very much committed to me as much as I’m going to be committed to them,” Taylor said. “My goal for wherever I was going to go was to build the best class. That’s what I’m still doing, and obviously picking up more pieces along this journey has helped a lot…
“Now that I’m here, I know I’m not going anywhere, I know I don’t want to go anywhere, and making my decision was my next step forward.”
Taylor has been very active in the recruiting process, helping recruit Ellis, offensive tackle Matt Errickson, safety Tory Pittman III and wide receiver Amir Brown.
“I think with me being there and really being on campus, I really shouldn’t miss a recruit unless I happen to be out of town for something, but I don’t imagine I will be, and if I am, it’s maybe going to be a couple times,” Taylor said. “Every recruit that comes through that building, I plan on at least saying what’s up to them, just so that they can see me and I can see them, and just know it’s really a family.”
Ellis announced his decision to follow Taylor to Millard South on Hurrdat Sports Live the following day.
In his junior season, the Crowley, Texas, native played in 11 games, totaling 65 receptions for 808 yards and nine touchdowns.
Ellis said that he and Taylor began discussing the move to Nebraska a few months back, but they weren’t sure if it would be a possibility until recently.
“My mom always tells me that God is in the uncomfortable, so I wanted to do something that’s uncomfortable and that hasn’t been heard of,” Ellis said. “So, I’m going to go play with my boy.”
Since Ellis’s commitment to the Huskers, the two have developed a strong relationship, both attending Nebraska’s white-out game against USC on Nov. 1. Taylor called Ellis his “brother.”
“The first thing I did is when I walked into the USC game, and people were yelling my name, and I get up to the stands, Tay just starts screaming, ‘Trae Taylor, Trae Taylor, Trae Tylor, can I get a picture?’” Taylor said. “That’s when I knew we were going to be really good friends. We just kept growing our relationship from there, and I was with him the whole USC game, that whole night, and we’ve been talking to each other every single day ever since, basically.”
Before deciding to join the Patriots, Taylor said that he spoke to some Nebraska coaches who praised Millard South’s development at the quarterback position with Jett Thomalla’s rise to five-star status. With the team coming off of back-to-back class A state championships, he has high hopes in 2026.
“I think the biggest thing obviously is win state, right?” Taylor said. “They went back-to-back, so I’d hate to come in and ruin that streak, but that’s obviously the goal. I really want to grow my game in general. I completed like 80% of my passes last year, so maybe aiming for like 85? Obviously, those are goals, and I’m going to do my best to accomplish them, but as long as we win, I don’t care how we do it.”
Ellis and Taylor will continue to develop their relationship off the field before connecting on it this summer.
“It’s my first really big-time receiver that I’m playing with, as far as going to a big Power Four school, so I’m really excited,” Taylor said. “I think that it’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment for me maybe, just because playing with that type of speed that he has and stuff like that, but I also don’t think it will be a crazy adjustment. I’ve played with kids like that before, as far as the seven-on-seven circuit, but I’m really excited.”
For now, Ellis and Taylor will finish there junior years of high school at their respective schools before arriving in Nebraska this summer.
“We want the number one class in 2027, and we can’t do that without actually being there and actually recruiting for our team, and that’s what we want to do,” Ellis said. “We’re looking to win a national championship, and that’s what we will do.”
