Darius Taylor has led the Golden Gophers’ in rushing throughout all three years with the program. Unfortunately, his least productive season came in 2025 when he failed to eclipse more than five touchdowns. As we enter the summer portion of the 2027 NFL Draft cycle, this article will assess Taylor as a prospect ahead of his fourth collegiate campaign.
Darius Taylor 2027 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report
Career Statistics
- 2457 Rush Yards
- 5.1 Yards Per Carry
- 87.7 Yards Per Game
- 19 Touchdowns, 1 Fumble
- 104 Missed Tackles Forced
- 1851 Yards After Contact
- 82.5 Average Offensive Grade (Pro Football Focus)
- 81.2 Average Rushing Grade (Pro Football Focus)
- 75.7 Average Receiving Grade (Pro Football Focus)
Player Background
- 6’ 0”, 215 lb. frame
- 3-star recruit, 29th-ranked running back in 2023 recruiting class (24/7)
- Has a background in track and field as well as wrestling
- Committed to Minnesota despite receiving offers from Iowa, Michigan and Boston College
- Quick Lane Bowl MVP and three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week in 2023
- Two-time All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2024, 2023)
- 2026 Preseason All-Big Ten Fourth Team selection by Phil Steele
Best Tools for Darius Taylor
- Reads and anticipates blocks well behind the line and in the open field; cuts back inside when linemen get the upper hand downfield
- Good juice working in and out of his breaks that help him consistently separate and produce as a receiver
- His quick feet help him utilize an impressive stutter step which helps him to elude defenders behind the line of scrimmage
- Excels as a lateral runner using the aforementioned stutter step to break runs outside and create tough tackling angles for defenders
Darius Taylor showing off impressive vision and elusiveness on this TD run against Virginia Tech. There was some traffic but Taylpr navigated through it and used his speed to get around the corner.#NFLDraft #Scout #Football #NFL #CFB #ESPN #nfl #CFB25 #CFB26 #Sports #Scouting… pic.twitter.com/bt2MXPk0DF
— Owen Denny (@OwenDennyNFL) June 6, 2025
Tools to Improve for Darius Taylor
- Tends to shy away from congested areas; would like to see him trust his size more offensively rather than just bounce runs outside
- Top-heavy as a pass protector and fails to consistently beat defenders to the spot when sliding to protect
- Finishing runs is an issue for Taylor as he flashes a third gear but is chased down from behind far too often
- Struggles to create additional yardage in the open field and one-on-one against secondary defenders
Early NFL Prospect Summary
Darius Taylor has the potential to be one of the most complete running backs in the 2027 NFL Draft. He is already an explosive receiver out of the backfield and an impressive east-west runner which bodes well for his future at the next level. In 2026, look for Taylor to improve his work as a pass protector and lead an up-and-coming Minnesota offense in the ever-challenging Big Ten Conference.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
