The NFL is filled with family tradition, just look at Archie Manning with his sons Eli and Peyton or former defensive guru Buddy Ryan with his sons Rex and Rob. Will Kelvin Taylor, the son of former Jacksonville all-pro Fred Taylor have the same sort of success as his dad? Dynasty fantasy owners are asking these questions and more. I reviewed his game against Tennessee, a few highlight reels, and his performance at the NFL Combine to get a better idea of his skills and talents. Here is what I saw:
RB-Kelvin Taylor, Florida 5′ 10″ 207 lbs.
Cons: The young man is not a powerful runner, fails to run behind his pads, and gets too high which lets defenders into his body more easily. This was very clear against two of the fiercest defenses Florida faced in 2015 (LSU and Alabama) where the back averaged 1.5 yards per carry between the two contests. He is very dependent on his offensive line putting hats on hats or the former Gator cannot find room and has issues breaking tackles. There might be some character issues as shown with his frustration levels (throat slashing motion and responding poorly to getting benched). In the passing game, Taylor struggles to anchor and doesn’t read defenders well coming in at different angles. The runner has small hands (8.25″), which is evident with his very small catching radius. His 4.6 second 40 time and only 15 reps on the 225 lbs. bench press disappointed too.
Pros: Taylor is a high effort runner who gives his all on each carry. His legs do not stop churning while always falling forward. The back makes lateral cuts with quick acceleration finding the cutback lane. He makes quick decisions with good vision, can get small near the line of scrimmage, and has never fumbled in his college career. His bouncy feet and quickness may give him a chance as a returner at the next level, but I’m not sure he can be an NFL starter.
Overall thoughts: Taylor has a great name, but doesn’t have the physicality or presence of his father. I would be hesitant to draft him in a rookie dynasty draft before the final round and would need to have a taxi squad to hide him on.
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