Leonard Taylor NFL Draft Overview
Miami’s Leonard Taylor has spent the last three seasons living in opposing backfields. A former Five-Star recruit, Taylor signed with the University of Miami. He wasted no time becoming a nightmare for offenses and was excellent his Freshman season. Taylor was poised for a breakout in 2022 and absolutely delivered. In 2022, Taylor logged ten tackles for loss for the Hurricanes.
Miami IDL Leonard Taylor III
Lower body explosion, violent hands, and backfield disruption. Three traits that repeatedly show up with him. pic.twitter.com/gAnHeWAcx0
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) July 25, 2023
In 2023, Taylor had an injury that caused him to miss some time and saw a dip in production. Regardless, his impact remained the same, and routinely opened up plays for other members of Miami’s defensive line. He declared for the 2024 NFL draft and opted to skip Miami’s bowl game. The lack of statistical production in 2023 should not dissuade a team from drafting him early. Taylor will get first-round buzz, but may fall into the early second round.
Position: Interior Defensive Line
Height: 6’3” (Unofficial)
Weight: 307 lbs (Unofficial)
School: Miami
Leonard Taylor 2024 NFL profile
Strengths
- Incredibly explosive for the position, can teleport into the backfield
- Well built, not much bad weight on his frame
- Not just a bull-rusher, has an array of pass-rush moves
- Can overwhelm blockers with converting speed to power
- High motor player, who just never stops going
- Has the strength and discipline to two-gap
- Dominant in the ACC at age 18
- Wins early in the rep and completely blows up plays
Weaknesses
- At just about 300 pounds, will be regularly giving up mass on the interior
- Lack of length
- Can get washed down in the run game, leaving gaping holes open
- Will be successfully double-teamed due to his lack of great mass
- Has shown an array of moves, but does not consistently have a plan of attack
NFL Comparison: Christian Barmore
Projection: Picks 45-75
Best Fits: Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars
Bottom Line on Leonard Taylor
Miami’s Leonard Taylor is the type of player the NFL wants. There is no bigger disturbance to an NFL passing game than interior pressure. Taylor is the type of player who can create havoc up the middle. His explosiveness and quick-twitch ability to get into the backfield is the type of disruption that NFL defenses are looking for. No one wants to watch quarterbacks step up into a clean pocket and shred secondaries. That is where players like Leonard Taylor step in.
Miami DT Leonard Taylor is already one of my favorite players for the 2024 NFL Draft. Lightning-quick first step, power to move the line of scrimmage, and he can finish. pic.twitter.com/X59gSo5DQM
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) August 10, 2023
The explosion off the line of scrimmage is what truly makes Taylor stand out. He can be the disruptor that will completely alter how a football game goes. Where he falls in this class remains a question. Taylor is virtually a lock to go after Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton. However, Taylor may also see himself going after Texas star defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat. Regardless of where he goes, he has the potential to be an incredibly impactful player.
Main Photo: Andy Lewis-USA TODAY Sports
