Player Profile: Jamar Taylor

Jamar Taylor

Height:  5'11
Weight:  192
School:  Boise State
Position:  Cornerback
Ranking:  #8 Cornerback
Projection:  2nd Round

Strengths
-Experienced.  4 year player 48 career starts
-Uses strength (22 reps) to jam receivers at the line.
-Great quickness (1.47) and fluid hips used to change directions
-Good top end speed (4.39) that allows him to not get beat.
-Uses speed to fly to the ball
-Has good anticipation that allows him to stick to receivers
-Has the ability to play tight or off receivers
-Does a great job of reading QBs eyes in coverage
-Has a knack for creating splash plays (fumbles and INTs).  6 Force Fumbles in 2012
-Has a short memory. Doesn't let previous plays bother him
-Effective blitzer (4 sacks in 2012) off the edge
-Willing tackler in the run game

Weaknesses
-Short arms (30.68")
-Durability.  Knee and hamstring issues in past
-Not a great tackler.  Misses a lot
-Doesn't have good hands.  Drops more than he should.
-Can be too aggressive at times
-Can get engulfed at times in the run game

Summary
Jamar Taylor has used a great daft process to really up his stock.  Taylor was flying under the radar at the end of the season, but used the Senior Bowl and Combine to show that he has the skills that teams covet out of the cornerback position.  Jamar Taylor is a good athlete that has the top end speed, quickness, and hips to stick with receivers in man coverage.  Taylor also shows good strength and physicality in press coverage and making plays in the run game.  He isn't afraid of contact and is a willing run defender.  He needs to improve his tackling technique because he misses too many tackles.  Taylor is also a good blitzer and was able to get to the quarterback and create sacks and fumbles.  Where Taylor does a lot of things pretty well, he isn't dominant in any of them.  He still has a ways to go to improve.  But teams will look to take him somewhere in the second round based on his talent and potential.  He'll thrive early in his career as a slot corner, but should be able to develop into a starter.  He reminds me a lot of a poor man's Ronde Barber because of his all around skill and knack for blitzing off the edge.  Don't be surprised if the team that drafts him moves him to free safety where could be even better.