Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Motivated Gators standout Taylor could be OL option
INDIANAPOLIS – Roughly a year ago, before his senior season at the University of Florida, offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor got a tattoo above his belly button.
For Taylor, the two words provided another sense of inspiration.
“A lot of people wanted to have ‘dream chaser’ [as a tattoo], but I wanted to be different and put ‘bag chaser’ on my stomach,” Taylor said during an interview at the NFL combine on Thursday.
“It’s just motivation. Most of my tattoos all are [about my] family, and stuff like that to motivate me.”
Taylor, who is considered one of the best right tackles available in the 2019 NFL draft in April, is inching closer toward filling his bag.
If Taylor is ultimately drafted in the Top 10, where most mock drafts and projections believe he could be selected, he could earn at least $17.5 million during his four-year contract based on last year’s rookie deals.
“I feel like I’m the best offensive tackle in the draft,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s potential pay day could come from the Miami Dolphins, who own the No. 13 pick in the draft.
The Dolphins have a decision to make regarding their right tackle position: re-sign free agent Ja’Wuan James to a new deal that could command $8-10 million annually or acquire another player at the position through the draft and free agency.
Taylor has already met with Miami as well as the Washington Redskins, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets at the combine this week.
Taylor will be unable to perform in position workouts during the combine on Friday after Dr. James Andrews ruled him out last week with a hamstring strain.
Still, Taylor was able to do the bench press test (he lifted 225 pounds 24 times, but had one deducted), and participated in the psychological testing, and an NFLPA meeting on Thursday.
Taylor plans to use his UF pro day next month to solidify his draft position.
“I’m a hard-working guy,” Taylor said. “I bring a lot of physical aggression and nastiness to the offensive line. And just overall, I’m a great guy with great work ethic.”
One of Taylor’s best attributes is his self-motivation.
After a summer camp on the UF campus, former offensive line coach Mike Summers told Taylor he needed to lose weight if he wanted to land a scholarship offer from his dream school.
Over the course of the summer months before his senior year at Cocoa High School, Taylor changed his diet while working out three times a day with the help of his uncle and physical trainer to lose 52 pounds. He also earned that offer to play for the Gators.
Taylor checked in at 312 pounds at the combine on Wednesday – the lightest he has been as an adult , he said.
“He came in pretty chubby and he worked his tail off,” former UF teammate Jordan Scarlett said of Taylor with a laugh.
“He was definitely a hard worker, and hard work pays off. He’s going to get picked very high, and any team that gets him is going to love him.”
Taylor has less than two months until the draft to chase that elusive bag.
“It means the world to me,” Taylor said. “It’s a dream come true.”