Leonard Taylor Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

School: Miami

Class: Junior

Position: DL

HT: 6’3

WT: 303 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #59

Background: Leonard Taylor was one of the best recruits in the nation for his class. He was a 5-star, top 5 recruit in the country out of Miami, Florida. Taylor attended Miami Palmetto High School and turned himself into the best player in the state of Florida. Taylor was the main reason that Palmetto was able to reach the Florida 8A semifinals in his senior season, posting ridiculous pass rushing numbers across the board. Being a top recruit from Miami, his recruitment was never in doubt. It is worth mentioning that he picked Miami over every top school in the nation.

College: In his true freshman campaign, he only played in the final 9 games but was able to tie the team lead in tackles for loss and became their most disruptive defensive lineman. Leonard Taylor is a stout defensive tackle who brings a solid pass rush to the defensive tackle position. For the 1-tech, Taylor has phenomenal acceleration and burst out of his stance. He has the size to play a mix of both 1-tech and 3-tech, but he also is versatile enough to kick out to the edge on occasion.

Strengths: Taylor is the best pass rushing interior defensive lineman in the class and performs at his best with different stunt looks. He almost always gets the first step on the opponent, drawing himself plenty of double teams. Leonard Taylor is a handful for any offensive lineman in the phone booth. Taylor has a strong lower half that keeps him moving forward until he breaks through into the pocket. He has a high motor and the legs never stop moving. Taylor consistently wraps the ball carrier up behind the line of scrimmage, whether it is a running back or a quarterback. He finds the ball quickly and can decipher where the ball is quickly when he gets through the line and never fails to make a play on the ball when he does. His instincts and reaction skills are top tier along with his athleticism for the position, making him one of the tougher blocking assignments in the country.

Weaknesses: Leonard Taylor is somewhat of a tweener at the defensive tackle position, he is smaller than the average 1-tech but bigger than the average 3-tech. It is tough to say which technique he will play in the NFL. Without adding more size, he will struggle to compete as a true nose tackle. Taylor excels with one-on-one matchups but even a chip block double team will cause him to be taken out of the play.

Conclusion: Taylor is going to be a project player, he needs to find his role in the NFL, whether it be 1, 3, or even 5-technique. Once he finds his place he will develop into a nice rotational player.

Scheme Fit: 4-3

Ideal Role: 3-tech

Best Team Fits: LAC, CHI, MIN

Player Comparison: BJ Hill

Player Grade: 82.2