Florida could potentially get its third player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year, as former star running back Fred Taylor has been named a semifinalist for the 2022 induction class. Taylor, who played 13 seasons in the NFL (11 of which were with the Jacksonville Jaguars), has been a semifinalist for three straight years now, but he is yet to be named a finalist.
Taylor played at UF from 1994-97 under Steve Spurrier and was a part of the program’s first national championship in 1996. If selected, he would join fellow Gator greats Jack Youngblood and Emmitt Smith in the Hall of Fame.
Here’s how you can vote for Taylor.
We are down to our 26 Modern-Era Semifinalists. Keep @FredTaylorMade in the running for the Class of 2022!
Submit your picks in the HOF Ford Fan Vote: https://t.co/ehKdULPKBs#PFHOF22 | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/h6jxIbTy8i
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) December 26, 2021
Taylor was drafted by the Jaguars with the ninth pick in the 1998 draft, and he played almost his entire career in Jacksonville before spending his last two seasons with the New England Patriots. He would become the first Jaguars player to make it to the Hall of Fame.
He finished his NFL career with 11,695 rushing yards and 80 rushing touchdowns, setting numerous franchise records with the Jags in the process.
The list of 26 semifinalists, which was announced in November, will be trimmed to 15 finalists in January before the full class is announced on Feb. 10.
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