Patriots scouting report: Leonard Taylor enters 2026 on an upward trajectory

Nestled within that bigger narrative were multiple individual ones, including that of defensive tackle Leonard Taylor . He went from the depths of one of the worst teams in football to the biggest stage in the NFL last year, and is now trying to add more chapters to his story.

A standout defensive lineman at Miami Palmetto in Pinecrest, FL, Taylor was ranked a five-star college recruit and his offers looked accordingly. His first scholarship opportunity came courtesy of the University of Miami back when he was still a high school sophomore, and he later saw other high-profile schools such as Alabama, Ohio State and Tennessee all enter the mix. Miami remained in the race throughout, however, and was able to secure him coming out.

In three seasons with the Hurricanes, Taylor saw action in 31 games with 19 starts. A one-time honorable All-ACC selection, he registered six sacks as well as 61 tackles and an interception during his college career. While he could have stayed put for another season, he decided to skip his senior campaign to enter the NFL Draft — a decision that did not result in him getting selected: he failed to hear his name called, and he instead had to enter rookie free agency.