Taylor is a compact, patient zone runner who maximizes every crease with outstanding contact balance and a low center of gravity that makes him a nightmare to square up at the second level. He proved he could produce against Power Four competition after years of FCS obscurity, leading the ACC in rushing and earning first-team All-ACC honors in his lone season at Virginia. The receiving usage was high-volume but low-complexity — almost exclusively swings and checkdowns — and five drops in 2025 raise real concerns about his hands at the next level. He's a scheme-dependent back who can carve out a role as a complementary RB2/RB3 in an inside-zone system, but his limited top-end speed and undersized frame cap his ceiling as a lead back.

• ⚖️Elite contact balance — runs through arm tackles and consistently generates yards after first contact, with 753 yards after contact in 2025
• 👁️Patient, instinctive zone runner with strong vision who sets up linebackers before cutting back against flow
• 🏎️Quick burst through the line of scrimmage creates positive yards consistently; effective one-cut decisiveness getting downhill
• 🛡️Third-down viability with 43 receptions in 2025 and willingness in pass protection despite his size
• +Proven he can produce against elevated competition — seamless FCS-to-ACC transition with 1,062 rushing yards and 14 TDs

• ✂️Lacks top-end speed to consistently create separation in the open field — gets run down from behind on breakaway attempts
• 💥Undersized at 5-9, 204 lbs with durability concerns against NFL-level tacklers who bring significantly more force
• 🦬Five drops in 2025 (2nd most in Power 4) and inconsistent hands in the passing game are a red flag for a back projecting as a third-down contributor
• ✂️Route tree is basic — limited to swings, checkdowns, and option routes with no evidence of creating mismatches against linebackers