'Always In the Backfield!' Draft Prospect Leonard Taylor III Compares Himself to Rams' Donald
The NFL Scouting Combine has arrived, and with it has come droves of prospects looking to boost their stock through good testing, measurements, and interviews.
One such prospect is Miami defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III. He may not be a common target for the Los Angeles Rams – fans can thank Aaron Donald and Kobie Turner for that – but he isn’t without a connection to the organization.
He briefly spoke about Donald during his media session on Wednesday.
Sep 23, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Leonard Taylor III (56) celebrates his sack in the second half against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field.
Mandatory Credit: Andy Lewis-USA TODAY Sports
“I look at Aaron Donald a lot just because of his speed and how he gets off the ball, how he’s able to disrupt the backfield,” Taylor said. “I could say I model my game after him a little bit. I still got a lot left to learn to get on his level basically, but just how he’s always in the backfield, disrupting plays. I’d say I picture my game after that.”
Donald has become the poster child of elite defensive line play, so it’s natural that many prospects – Taylor included – look to him as a North Star. Taylor is viewed in some circles as undersized, potentially playing under 300 pounds on the interior, so Donald comparisons become even more feasible.
What Taylor may lack in mass, he makes up for in athleticism.
“Really I’d just say my speed,” Taylor said. “I’m pretty strong but my speed is a big key factor because if you can’t touch me, how are you gonna stop me? That’s how I look at it.”
Of course, using Donald as a barometer for defensive tackle prospects is a bad idea. It’s more than ambitious to project anyone to match the production he put up for the Rams. But stylistically, some similarities can be observed, although Taylor isn’t the outlier Donald is.
It’s possible a defensive tackle is in play for Los Angeles on the draft’s second day. There are plenty of holes to fill, but a third lineman to rotate in with Turner and Donald could be beneficial, and a prospect of Taylor’s caliber could be the contingency plan should the future Hall of Famer retire.
General manager Les Snead’s angst about the position may be reflected in the draft capital he spends on it this spring.
