BEREA — Jabari Taylor repeatedly lined up alongside Browns third-round draft pick Siaki Ika, fired out of his stance and hit a tackling dummy.
The goal of the competition was to reach the pad first without jumping offside.
Taylor won the race sometimes, but Ika prevailed on other repetitions during Saturday’s practice. The two defensive tackles exchanged a high-five after one of Taylor’s victories. Later, defensive line coach Ben Bloom did push-ups because he had bet on Taylor when Ika triumphed instead.
A 2017 Archbishop Hoban High School graduate, Taylor is among six players participating this weekend in Browns rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
“I’m just trying to play ball and continue to prove I can play at the highest level,” Taylor told the Beacon Journal.
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How Jabari Taylor evolved from a high school quarterback to an NFL defensive tackle prospect
The 6-foot-1, 280-pound Taylor went undrafted this year out of the University of Cincinnati, where he played every spot on the defensive line during five seasons and earned a master’s degree in health education and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Taylor is a Steubenville native, but he spent part of his youth in Ravenna and moved around as family members found different jobs. He spent his freshman year of high school in Mississippi and began playing quarterback and defensive line, mostly as an end. After moving back to Ohio, he played football at Indian Creek as a sophomore and junior.
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Taylor transferred to Hoban as a junior and starred as a senior defensive tackle and tight end on the Knights’ Division III state championship team in 2016.
“It was a like storybook,” he said.
Taylor explained he wasn’t opposed to transitioning from quarterback partly because he had suffered a shoulder injury. He set a single-season Hoban record for sacks, which has since been broken by Darryl Peterson III, a Wisconsin edge rusher.
“He was very dominant at D-tackle,” Hoban coach Tim Tyrrell said by phone. “He could take over games by himself.
“He came [to Hoban] because his friends were there. We started watching him practice, and he was one of the biggest surprises I’ve ever gotten.”
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Jabari Taylor is a former teammate of rookie minicamp invitee Todd Sibley Jr., NFL Draft picks Tre Tucker and Tyler Scott
Now Taylor has a foot in the NFL’s door, though earning a contract is often an uphill battle for prospects trying out.
In the buildup to last month’s draft, Taylor trained in Columbus with former Hoban teammate Todd Sibley Jr. A former Pitt and Albany running back, Sibley received a rookie minicamp invitation from the Las Vegas Raiders.
“He’s had success everywhere he’s been since his senior year of high school,” Tyrrell said of Taylor, “so it’s kind of fitting for him and Sibley to have these chances now.”
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At Cincinnati, Taylor played with two other local high school products who recently entered the NFL — wide receivers Tre Tucker (CVCA) and Tyler Scott (Norton). The Raiders drafted Tucker in the third round, and the Chicago Bears chose Scott in the fourth round.
“What I find the coolest of all is to be able to have relationships with all those guys,” Taylor said. “I’m very acquainted with all of them. All I can do is continue to be happy for everybody and do what I can for them.”
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Taylor explained he was “a little bit of a Browns fan growing up” because he went to some games on Cleveland’s lakefront. He said it would be “lovely” to earn a job with the Browns, but he knows he’s auditioning for the entire NFL. He’s also not averse to playing in another professional league, such as the CFL, USFL or XFL.
“I’m just trying to, at the end of the day, take care of my family and try to do what I can for those I love,” he said.
Where would Jabari Taylor fit in the NFL and how did the Cleveland Browns deploy him during rookie minicamp?
Taylor insisted he’s versatile enough to play defensive end. However, he began Browns rookie minicamp by manning tackle, his most familiar position, even though he’s on the smaller end of the interior-line spectrum.
“It fits my style of play,” Taylor said. “I’m quick. I’ve got the speed. I’ve got the leverage. I’m not a 6-4 guy out there. I’m not very lengthy, not very long, but for being a short, undersized guy, I’ve got pretty decently long arms. It really allows me to use my quickness and speed to my advantage as well as my leverage.”
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Taylor had his most productive college season in 2022. He started all 12 games for Cincinnati, compiling a career-high 36 tackles, with five for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed. He also scored a touchdown on a 23-yard fumble return.
Doors to the NFL Scouting Combine and Senior Bowl didn’t open for Taylor, but he performed well at Cincinnati’s pro day, and he’s grateful to be receiving a shot with the Browns.
“You never know if this is your last opportunity,” he said, “so why not give it all you’ve got?”
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns give Hoban grad Jabari Taylor shot at rookie minicamp
