J'Mari Taylor NFL Draft Scouting Report

J'Mari Taylor is a well-rounded back who relies on his natural instincts, quickness, and ability to break tackles to be productive.

Draft Grade: Round 5 - Scheme Specific Contributor

Strengths:

Forcing Broken Tackles: Taylor has a shorter stature that he uses to his advantage. He lowers his pad level, making it difficult for defenders to gain proper leverage and bring him down. Taylor can run through arm tackles using his power, forcing defenders to miss and breaking tackles.

Quick Burst: With the ball, Taylor shows a quick burst through the line of scrimmage. This allows him to get through holes quickly and effectively, consistently picking up positive yards. His style of rapidly getting upfield helps him generate net positive rushing plays for the offense.

Lateral Cuts: Taylor can press the hole and make lateral cuts to reach vacant openings. He runs with a strong base that allows for quick, precise cuts and demonstrates good overall footwork. These lateral movements help him evade penetrating defenders and turn a broken blocking scheme into a positive play.

Concerns:

Undersized: Taylor’s measurables may lead NFL teams to view him as a rotational back long-term. Concerns about durability and his ability to handle the workload of a lead RB could limit his role at the next level.

Top-End Speed: Taylor has a good initial burst and acceleration, but he appears to lack the top-end speed to consistently create and maintain separation from defenders, making him catchable in the open field.