NY Jets discovering untapped potential with former 5-star recruit

The NY Jets have garnered a reputation as somewhat of a defensive lineman factory since Robert Saleh joined the organization in 2021. There's a chance undrafted rookie Leonard Taylor III could be the team's next defensive line success story.

Taylor is a former five-star recruit who never lived up to expectations at the University of Miami, but he has an opportunity to learn under one of the best defensive minds in the sport and carve out a career in the NFL with the Jets.

His first real test came on Saturday, and he passed with flying colors. Taylor was one of the most notable standouts in the Jets' 20-17 preseason win over the Washington Commanders.

The 22-year-old recorded the Jets' only sack of the day, flashing his upside as a pass rusher while showcasing his athletic potential. Taylor finished the game with a Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade of 72.8, which ranked third among all 57 interior defensive linemen to play at least 15 pass-rush snaps.

The NY Jets are hoping to unlock some of Leonard Taylor's sky-high potential

It wasn't long ago that Taylor was seen as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The former Miami standout was being mocked to go in the first round as late as March by some outlets.

Taylor had offers from virtually every major school coming out of high school, ultimately choosing Miami over the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and others. Unfortunately, he never lived up to his potential with the Hurricanes.

Taylor finished his three-year college career with just six total sacks, receiving honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2022. His lack of production tanked his stock, but many still believed some team would take a chance on his upside on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft.

That's why it was such a surprise when he went undrafted this past April. Taylor was one of the most high-profile undrafted signings by any team this spring, and he landed in the perfect situation for his development.

At 6-foot-3, 303 pounds, Taylor is an outstanding athlete with a long wingspan and an ideal frame. He looks the part of a dominant 3-tech pass rusher, but he never seemed to develop his pass-rush arsenal in college.

It also didn't help that Miami often played him out of position, lining him up more at nose tackle than his natural 3-tech position. In fact, Taylor recorded a ridiculous 28.6 percent pass rush win rate when lined up as a 3-tech in 2023. The issue is he only played 28 pass-rush snaps at the position all year.

The Jets are hoping that Saleh and this talented defensive coaching staff can utilize Taylor more effectively than the staff at Miami did while continuing to help develop his pass-rush skills.

While Taylor remains a work in progress as a run defender, his pass-rush upside is obvious. Taylor's first impression was excellent, and if he can continue to impress throughout the preseason, there should be a roster spot waiting for him in September.

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