John Shipley

JACKSONVILLEJ'Mari Taylor's new football mission is clear, difficult and attainable.

Become the latest Jaguars player to continue a long-standing, important tradition and in the process, to be an impactful underdog story.

Taylor, speaking at the Jaguars' recent 2026 Rookie Minicamp, was speaking about his goal of making the team as an undrafted collegiate free agent something two players, defensive endsB.J. Green IIandDanny Striggow, achieved last season.

This year it could be any number of players, but one early candidate very well could be Taylor.

Taylor has the "Jaguars DNA" Coen and General ManagerJames Gladstonehave made a franchise priority. A former zero-star recruit who walked on at North Carolina Central, Taylor transferred to Virginia last season, and the Charlotte, N.C. native put together a stellar season.

Taylor rushed 222 times for 1,062 yards (4.8 YPC) and 14 touchdowns for the 11-3 Cavaliers, earning first-team All-ACC honors in the process. That production has a lot to do with why he ended up on the Jaguars' radar.

Taylor, who has family from Jacksonville, was widely expected to be selected at some point in the '26 draft. But only 12 running backs were drafted last month, just a year after 25 running backs heard their names called. On average, each of the last five draft classes has had over 20 running backs drafted.

Jacksonville was able to land Taylor despite his talent and production at Virginia, and Taylor says it is not hard to figure out why his football journey has brought him to Jacksonville.

Now, Taylor will hope to be the next in a long line of successful undrafted rookies uncovered by the franchise. He has been used to having to fight for his job with his back against the wall, and it is those experiences that have prepared him for his path as an undrafted free agent.

Taylor has already embraced the lessons of the Jaguars' coaching staff on and off the field. He is joining a talented running back room that consists ofChris Rodriguez Jr.Bhayshul Tuten,LeQuint Allen Jr.,DeeJay Dallas, andAmeer Abdullah, and he will have to earn any role he gets.

But Taylor understands the situation at hand. That is why he is using this offseason to make the best version of himself, regardless of how the running back room shakes out.