The New England Patriots did something they don’t typically do with a rookie running back drafted anywhere but the first round — let alone an undrafted free agent. Bill Belichick put J.J. Taylor to work in Week 1.
It wasn’t a huge workload: nine snaps, four carries for 28 yards and one catch for four yards. But it was enough for Taylor to flash the talent that landed him on the game day roster for the team’s season opener after he went undrafted out of Arizona. His yards per carry (7) were the most on the team aside from Julian Edelman, who had one carry for 23 yards.
It surprised folks around the NFL — but not in the Patriots’ building.
“(His performance was) about what I hoped for and actually what I expected,” Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears told the media on Wednesday. “The guy is a pretty good player, really a good runner. He’s sort of fits into that mold of small backs like (Darren) Sproles and those guys that’ve been successful. But it’s early. It really is early to tag any kind of title on him or anything like that. But I tell you what, we’re really happy to have him out there.”
The Patriots have fostered growth for a few smaller running backs, like Taylor. They’ve had Dion Lewis and Danny Woodhead. Taylor, at 5-foot-5, 185 pounds, is definitely undersized for a running back.
“Well, let’s put it this way. He can play hide and seek really well with the guys. He’s really hard to find,” Fears said.
Taylor isn’t quite as impressive of a pass-catcher as Lewis or Woodhead, but Taylor seemed to make a concerted effort to develop in that phase of the game in college, with his final college season being his most productive with receptions (32 catches, 289 yards). Otherwise, he was an elusive and powerful player between the tackles. But it’s a testament to his abilities that he’s been able to get on the field. Fears said they were deeply impressed with Taylor since the first day of training camp.
Fears was asked how Taylor got playing playing time on a team that typically keeps rookie running backs out of the mix.
“I think you’re looking at it the wrong way. We don’t hold them back,” Fears said. “We let them tell us what they’re going to be. That’s the way we’ve always been,” Fears said. “We let them determine it by what they do in practice. They show us.”
Apparently, Taylor showed the Patriots something special.
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