Grading Former Gators OL Jawaan Taylor's Rookie Season
With the 2020 NFL Draft right around the corner, it's time to take a look back at how some of the 2019 Florida Gators draft prospects fared at the next level.
Following an impressive junior season under head coach Dan Mullen, former Gators right tackle Jawaan Taylor declared for the 2019 NFL Draft. Taylor was one of seven total Florida football players selected.
Selected in the second round (35th overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Taylor filled a void along the Jaguars' offensive line with his unmatched physicality and polished technique, something which was lacking as the Jaguars looked to re-shape the right side of the OL.
Originally pegged as a consensus top-10 draft pick, Taylor's draft stock plummeted amid rumors about a lingering knee injury suffered at Florida. While he did fall, Taylor became the highest-drafted Gators offensive lineman since D.J. Humphries (15th overall) in 2016.
While at Florida, Taylor set the example for the rest of the line, learning from one of the best coaches in the nation in Gators offensive line coach John Hevesy. In 2018, the Gators allowed only 15 sacks, down from 37 a year prior, along with the running game, which accounted for 2,514 yards, up from 1,720 yards in 2017.
In the NFL, Taylor didn't miss a beat. Although the rookie right tackle may have hoped to surrender fewer penalties, he improved throughout the season while working against the highest level of competition the NFL has to offer. Grading out positively in the run, and passing game, according to Pro Football Focus, Taylor showed why he was thought of as one of the best offensive linemen to enter the draft in 2019.
During the first few weeks of the season, Taylor was thrown into the gauntlet. Going against Pro Bowl defensive ends and pass rushers such as Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller, and New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan. Praised by his head coach multiple times throughout the season, Taylor continued to improve.
Although Taylor entered the NFL with doubts regarding his health, he started and played in all 16 games for the Jaguars in 2019 - playing 1,091 snaps, and becoming the only rookie in 2019 to play on all snaps for his respective team. Taylor became the first offensive rookie in franchise history to start all 16 games of the season since offensive lineman Maurice Williams in 2001.
According to Pro Football Focus, Taylor's best games were against the Oakland Raiders and the Atlanta Falcons. Taylor surrendered two pressures across both games. During the season, Taylor told Big Cat Country he was graded out as a 92% by his coaches for his showing against the Raiders in week 15.
On the season, Taylor surrendered eight sacks, according to Pro Football Focus - two in the final 10 games of the season. Taylor is expected to become a fixture in Jacksonville along the offensive line for years to go.
Moving forward, Florida will hope to continue developing prospects similar to Taylor. While it would be a tough feat, Hevesy has shown in the past what a developer of talent he is. In 2020, improvement should be made across the board.
For Taylor, his hope is to become the best offensive lineman in the NFL. With his preparation and skills, anything is possible.
