JACKSONVILLE – J'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.
"It's really nothing new for me," Taylor said.
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 ends B.J. Green II and Danny Striggow, achieved last season.
This year it could be any number of players, but one early candidate very well could be Taylor.
"When you looked at him against some of the top backs in the draft, production against the same teams and what that looked like, I thought was pretty impressive," Head Coach Liam Coen said following rookie minicamp.
Taylor has the "Jaguars DNA" Coen and General Manager James Gladstone have 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.
"Obviously, the season that Virginia had, a lot of it had to do with his success and his ability to both affect the game in the run and the pass game as well," Coen said. "So, people just slip, like bounce off of him in ways. He forced a lot of missed tackles and he's super sharp."
The players returned for the fourth week of the 2026 offseason program. Swipe through to see the best shots ➡️
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Patrick Herbert (88) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Brady Boyd (49) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Trebor Peña (86) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Ben Patterson (83) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Ethan Conner (48) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back J'Mari Taylor (30) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Josh Cameron (19) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (3) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back DeeJay Dallas (20) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (5) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Ameer Abdullah (43) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars safety Devin Neal Jr. (36) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive back Caleb Ransaw (27) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars safety Devin Neal Jr. (36) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight ends Brenton Strange (85) and Quintin Morris (80) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Yasir Abdullah (56) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens (14) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Joey Aguilar (17) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (1) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive back Jalen Huskey (22) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive back Jalen Huskey (22) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Hunter Long (84) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Ethan Conner (48) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Zach Durfee (58) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro (99) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive lineman Matt Dickerson (93) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Zach Durfee (58) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars safety Eric Murray (29) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Dennis Gardeck (47) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive pass game coordinator Mathieu Araujo during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell (21) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Keith Taylor (32) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Branson Combs (50) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive back Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig (42) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (1) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell (21) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Albert Regis (98) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Wesley Williams (90) during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Quindarius Dunnigan (59)during voluntary offseason practice at the Miller Electric Center on May 18, 2026.
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.
"That was like the first team that I talked to throughout the process, and pretty much they thought I was going to be drafted," Taylor said after rookie minicamp. "When they found out that I wasn't [drafted] and they were the first team … I was going with the first team, because that's the one who really wanted me the most."
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.
"I have always been an underdog in my whole football career," he said. "It's just that I love to play football, man. It is just the love of the game for me."
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 of Chris Rodriguez Jr. Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen Jr., DeeJay Dallas, and Ameer 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.
"They're a great coaching staff," he said. "They really love this, you know, the football aspect of it. Also on and off the field, it is how to become a better man, a better husband.
"With them helping the rookies out throughout this process, they want to see guys who have the will to win. They want guys to succeed throughout this experience and through the NFL, because it's not a career for us, man.
"Because once you hang the cleats up, you've got to have something that you can fall back on. So they are making this experience great for me."
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