Can we please forgive Trae Taylor for a momentary lapse in judgment?

Oh, to be 16 years old again.

Or maybe not.

Take the typical stress of teenage life — the grades, the social anxiety, the swirling decisions on the future — and multiply it by 10.

That’s what Carmel Catholic sophomore quarterback Trae Taylor must have felt last week as he broadcast to the world his college commitment in a live stream event hosted by 247 Sports. Exciting, yes, but also a pile of pressure that’d melt many teens under the blinding glare.

Instead of a seamless announcement, Taylor — who had been offered dozens of football scholarships before narrowing the list to Nebraska, Illinois, LSU and Texas A&M — made a disappointing decision he soon regretted.

In front of thousands of online viewers, he pushed two of the four college hats aside, put on a University of Illinois cap and said he was staying home to play for the Illini.

But wait … Taylor then took off the Illinois hat, tossed it across the room and revealed a Nebraska shirt. He was actually verbally committing to the Cornhuskers.

Ugh … a moment of celebration tainted by a silly snub. Taylor continued the live stream with a YouTube interview, spoke briefly with gathered media members and finally took a moment to reflect on what he’d done.

In an action of maturity beyond his 16 years, Taylor immediately took to social media and humbly apologized for the fake out.

“I did want to film this video to apologize to Illini Nation,” he said in a video. “Throwing the hat the way I did today during my commitment is not the way I want to be perceived. I know that was very disrespectful.

“I really just want to get on here and say that’s not who I am … The moment got to me a little bit, and I just want to say sorry. I’m very grateful for all the support that Illini Nation brought to me, and the coaching staff.”

Let’s be clear: The University of Illinois, its coaching staff and fan base did not deserve the fake out. The Illini have made major recruiting strides under coach Bret Bielema, and there’s a reason good players are committing.

That being said, can we please forgive Taylor for a momentary lapse in judgment?

It’s a given that Taylor, if and when he lines up behind center for Nebraska against Illinois, forever will be booed by Illini Nation for the hat toss. It’s an understandable reaction to the disrespect, something that comes with the territory.

But there’s also a vile underbelly to the announcement fallout. Online trolls hoping Taylor gets injured, and pouring other nastiness on him. That’s the kind of fanaticism we don’t need.

If someone out there gets the urge to inch in that direction, take a moment. Put yourself in the shoes of a 16-year-old who — since middle school — has been inundated by college recruiters and those obsessively following his recruiting trail.

I can’t imagine the poise it takes to exist under that spotlight as a teenager trying to find his way. But I’m sure it’s impossible to maintain that poise 24 hours a day, every day.

For an instant that now lives forever on the internet, Taylor made a mistake. And he quickly apologized.

Let’s leave it at that, and allow him to be a teenager again.