Today is the first day of Fall Camp for the vast majority of high schools around the state of Florida. What better way to kick it off than to start it out at the practice field where (arguably) the top player in the Sunshine State -- and possibly the country -- would be working out bright and early this morning. The Columbia Tigers of Lake City have a young and talented group of players headlined by the considerable talents of DT Timmy Jernigan (6-3, 285), who will play a huge role in defining the success of this ball club for the 2010 season.
I've been following Jernigan closely since last fall, and while he had a strong presence on the 2009 edition of the Tigers, you can tell that he is the face, heart, and soul of the 2010 squad. In work outs he bounced between providing an energy that is sorely needed during a summer day in North Florida, and coaching up the young guys who might allow Jernigan to get to the sideline for a play or two this coming season. He is equal parts mentor, motivator and class clown. In the few instances he was asked to demonstrate some technique or go up against an offensive lineman in blocking drills (and they weren't full contact by the way, as teams are not in full pads yet), Jernigan would routinely beat his man, scream so loud you could hear him in every corner of Columbia's expansive practice fields, and then give a little dance for good measure. If nothing else, Timmy Jernigan always lets you know he's around when he gets on the football field.
Afterwards, in talking to him, you can tell the recruiting process is starting to wear on him a bit. Decision day is moving closer (although he still expects to announce on National Signing Day, that could be subject to change, however), and teams are starting to turn up the heat a bit. Jernigan has been pretty consistent with his top group for a few months now, and he's narrowed it down to five teams, who will all receive official visits from him over the coming months. Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Michigan have all made the cut. Now, the hard part comes...who out of the five will land the state of Florida's big prizes for the 2011 recruiting class? Only one man really knows -- and Timmy Jernigan isn't showing his hand right now.
Other notes:
- I spoke with former Gators walk-on tight end Christopher Coleman this morning. Coleman, who was with the Gators from 2007-09, was hired to coach the offensive line for the Tigers in the spring, and he has a heck of a job in front of him. Columbia is basically starting from scratch up front, and will be employing at least four new starters up front in 2010. But from watching him work with his charges this morning, you can tell he really used the best of his time in Gainesville. Coleman is a Lake City native, and says this was a great opportunity for him because "I have to stay around (football)." Of course, I'm sure the Gators were happy to see him land this gig, seeing as they have a certain interest in a certain star player taking part in his final season for Columbia this fall...
- The other guy that really stands out aside from Jernigan on the practice field for Columbia is sophomore offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil (6-5, 280). Tunsil is being pressed into duty for the Tigers this fall at right tackle, and despite the fact he has a "long ways to go," in the eyes of Coleman, he cleary has a chance to be something special. Tunsil is still growing into his body, and he can lumber a bit when he runs, but he has the frame, and the athleticism to become a special offensive lineman one day. I don't know if his recruitment will mirror that of what Jernigan has experienced so far -- but it has a chance to do just that.
- Just ask head coach Craig Howard, this Timmy (Jernigan) has a chance to be just as good as the last Timmy (Tebow) he coached at the high school level...Fellow defensive line prospect Dequan Ivery (6-0, 300) is a player to watch in the Class of 2012. Although Ivery is a bit on the short side, he is a stout presence in the middle, and nearly as strong as Jernigan is, despite being a year behind him. He will receive plenty of D-I interest over the next year. Ivery is actually a cousin of Jernigan, and was actually driven to Florida's recent Friday Night Lights Camp by none other than Jernigan's father, Tim...Another name to keep an eye on at Columbia this year is wide receiver Adrian Hill (5-10, 180). Hill is fielding plenty of mid-major interest and will be a running and receiving threat for the Tigers this fall. With a lack of proven commodities at the skill positions, he figures to touch the ball a LOT in 2010. His interest should grow as he continues to perform strongly in the classroom this fall, and puts up the big numbers many expect of him this coming season.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Mike Bellamy, the Gators, and the number 5...
I was speaking to a pretty well-connected fellow in the world of recruiting recently. He made a very good point to me, and in light of the now apparent "wavering" of running back Mike Bellamy (more on that later), it makes more sense than ever.
When Chris Dunkley signed with the Gators back in February, he did so with the understanding he would be wearing the #5 this coming fall (a number assigned to Gators All-American cornerback Joe Haden in 2009). You can find various pictures with him posing in the #5 jersey he was expected to wear this fall on his Facebook page. So imagine my surprise when I was flipping through the fall roster released by the Florida SID several days ago and happened to notice that Dunkley had instead been assigned #27 -- a curious choice for a player expected to contribute at wide receiver this fall for the Gators.
Meanwhile, the #5, she is still sitting wide open and right there for the taking.
Don't get me wrong, Joe Haden was a great player for the Gators during his three years, as evidenced by his selection among the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft by Cleveland back in April. His presence will be missed in Gainesville. But he wasn't so overwhelming on the field that his number is going to be retired anytime soon. This isn't the same deal as #15 being left vacated for the time being. This is something very different altogether.
Back to Mike Bellamy, and that Clemson commitment he was reportedly so solid on...
In talking with a well-connected person in SW Florida, he told me even before Friday Night Lights that regardless of what Bellamy was saying, that the door was still cracked open just a bit. Regardless of how adamant Bellamy was about heading to Clemson, following in C.J. Spiller's footsteps, and being excited to run down the Hill for every Tigers home game, his recruitment is not and will not be finished for some time. I believed my source then, and his words are even more spot on now that Bellamy is reportedly looking at Florida State due to "depth chart issues" at Clemson. His recruitment is going to be a volatile one until he signs on the dotted line because that's just the way it's going to be. Everyone should sit down, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the show.
So, where does the #5 fit into all of this?
As I said earlier, Dunkley was expected to wear the number ever since he committed to the Gators back in January. Is wasn't some dealbreaker...it was just a matter of the fact that Dunkley liked the number, and it would be there for the taking if Haden left early for the pros (which he ended up doing). Then all of the sudden, sometime over the summer...something happened to convince the Gators to assign Dunkley #27 instead. By all accounts, Dunkley has worked hard since signing his letter of intent paperwork with Florida. He has added some necessary bulk to help him through the SEC grind, he has stayed out of trouble off-the-field, and other than the fact he has some diva-ish qualities not all that unlike many star wide receivers (Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens come to mind), he has done the things he needs to do to put himself in a position to play as a true freshman. But then when I think about it, there was the little matter of Mike Bellamy attending Friday Night Lights, even after being "solid" to Clemson. He has long been rumored to have a strong appreciation of the Gators and the spread offense. He just happens to wear...
You guess it -- the number 5. Conspiracy theory or not? You tell me...
When Chris Dunkley signed with the Gators back in February, he did so with the understanding he would be wearing the #5 this coming fall (a number assigned to Gators All-American cornerback Joe Haden in 2009). You can find various pictures with him posing in the #5 jersey he was expected to wear this fall on his Facebook page. So imagine my surprise when I was flipping through the fall roster released by the Florida SID several days ago and happened to notice that Dunkley had instead been assigned #27 -- a curious choice for a player expected to contribute at wide receiver this fall for the Gators.
Meanwhile, the #5, she is still sitting wide open and right there for the taking.
Don't get me wrong, Joe Haden was a great player for the Gators during his three years, as evidenced by his selection among the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft by Cleveland back in April. His presence will be missed in Gainesville. But he wasn't so overwhelming on the field that his number is going to be retired anytime soon. This isn't the same deal as #15 being left vacated for the time being. This is something very different altogether.
Back to Mike Bellamy, and that Clemson commitment he was reportedly so solid on...
In talking with a well-connected person in SW Florida, he told me even before Friday Night Lights that regardless of what Bellamy was saying, that the door was still cracked open just a bit. Regardless of how adamant Bellamy was about heading to Clemson, following in C.J. Spiller's footsteps, and being excited to run down the Hill for every Tigers home game, his recruitment is not and will not be finished for some time. I believed my source then, and his words are even more spot on now that Bellamy is reportedly looking at Florida State due to "depth chart issues" at Clemson. His recruitment is going to be a volatile one until he signs on the dotted line because that's just the way it's going to be. Everyone should sit down, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the show.
So, where does the #5 fit into all of this?
As I said earlier, Dunkley was expected to wear the number ever since he committed to the Gators back in January. Is wasn't some dealbreaker...it was just a matter of the fact that Dunkley liked the number, and it would be there for the taking if Haden left early for the pros (which he ended up doing). Then all of the sudden, sometime over the summer...something happened to convince the Gators to assign Dunkley #27 instead. By all accounts, Dunkley has worked hard since signing his letter of intent paperwork with Florida. He has added some necessary bulk to help him through the SEC grind, he has stayed out of trouble off-the-field, and other than the fact he has some diva-ish qualities not all that unlike many star wide receivers (Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens come to mind), he has done the things he needs to do to put himself in a position to play as a true freshman. But then when I think about it, there was the little matter of Mike Bellamy attending Friday Night Lights, even after being "solid" to Clemson. He has long been rumored to have a strong appreciation of the Gators and the spread offense. He just happens to wear...
You guess it -- the number 5. Conspiracy theory or not? You tell me...
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Five Gators with a case for the NFL Hall of Fame...
Last night I started doing a lot of reading and research into the NFL Hall of Fame, and different players with stellar careers who are not currently enshrined in Canton. It really is amazing to see how subjective the voters have been over the years as to who they let in and who they keep out. That said, this post won't stray too far off the topic at hand. Here are five former Gators with a case for one day joining Jack Youngblood and Emmitt Smith in one of the most hallowed spaces in all of football.
1. LT Lomas Brown (1981-84 UF, played with five teams over 18 NFL seasons)
One of the great left tackles in NFL history, Lomas Brown first came to fame as the 6-foot-4, 280-pound cornerstone of the famed "Great Wall of Florida" offensive line (which produced an additional pair of NFL lineman in Crawford Ker and Jeff Zimmerman) in the early 1980's. Brown was selected with the 6th overall pick of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, and he would see the bulk of his success as a professional over 11 seasons in the Motor City. Brown missed only eight starts during his time in Detroit, and would be selected to six Pro Bowls and was a consensus first-team All-Pro once (1995, his final season in Detroit), as the Lions developed into one of the top offensive powerhouses in the league. After leaving the Lions, Brown would make the Pro Bowl once more with Arizona (1996), and later played for the Browns and Giants before winning the Super Bowl as a back-up offensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, his final season as a pro. His 257 career starts are tied for seventh all-time in NFL history -- the only offensive lineman who found himself in the starting lineup more being the great Bruce Matthews. Of the six players to have started more NFL games than Brown, only one (Jim Marshall) is not currently in the NFL Hall of Fame.
2. OLB Wilber Marshall (1980-83, UF, played with five teams over 12 NFL seasons)
Marshall was one of the players who set forth the "new age" of what an outside linebacker should be like. Mobile, agile and hostile, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 230 pounds Marshall was originally recruited out of high school to play tight end for the Gators, but that would only last a season until Florida head coach Charley Pell convinced Marshall to switch to the weakside linebacker position on defense. Marshall would terrorize defenses over the course of his college career (the most notable example being a 14-tackle, 4-sack performance in a 17-9 upset win over USC in 1982) and would go on to do much of the same in his professional career as well. Selected with the 11th overall pick of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Marshall would quickly develop into a key component of Buddy Ryan's famed "46" defense, which also featured the likes of Mike Singeltary and Dan Hampton (both in the Hall of Fame) as well as Richard Dent and Steve "Mongo" McMichael (both of whom are deserving of bids as well). Marshall would win a Super Bowl in 1985 with the Bears, and eventually move on to the Redskins after four seasons of service in Chicago. Marshall would experience some of his greatest individual success in Washington, recording 24.5 sacks and going over 100 tackles in all five of his seasons with the Redskins. He would add another Super Bowl ring in 1991 as Washington marched to their third World championship under Joe Gibbs. Following perhaps his greatest individual season in 1992 (138 total tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions), where he was named to the Pro Bowl and garnered first team All-Pro honors, Marshall left Washington to sign with the Houston Oilers. However, injuries caught up with him in Texas, and Marshall's final three seasons (one-year stints with the Oilers, Cardinals and Jets) were relatively quiet. He retired from football after the 1995 season. However, Marshall left quite an impact across the league, having recorded over 1,000 tackles, 45 sacks, 23 interceptions, and 24 forced fumbles during his 12 seasons. Those numbers are right about on par with that of Chiefs great Willie Lanier, who was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1986. Marshall is a player whose abilities transcend time. He is one of just a handful of members of the exclusive career 20 sack/20 interception club.
3. FB Rick Casares (1951-53 UF, played with three teams over 11 NFL seasons)
Here is Florida's one entry for the Senior Committee to consider. A prep star in three sports (football, basketball and track & field) at Jefferson High School in Tampa. Casares is often thrown in the short list of players that pro scouts have described as possessing the rare combination of tools that would have allowed the player to make a prep-to-pros jump (along with name such as Earl Campbell, Herschel Walker, Andre Carter, Adrian Peterson and a few others). The college career of Casares was actually cut short due to his being drafted by the U.S. Army in 1953 (his junior year at Florida). A second-round pick (18th overall) of the 1954 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Casares would join the team in 1955 after serving a two-year military commitment. At 6-foot-2, and 225 pounds, Casares immediately became a bulldozing threat for the Bears coming out of the backfield. He led the league in rushing yards per attempt (5.4) as a rookie in 1955. The following year, Casares would lead the NFL in rushing with 1126 yards and 12 touchdowns on 236 carries as the Bears advanced to the 1956 NFL Championship, where they were soundly trounced by the New York Giants by a score of 47-7. Casares would be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five years with the Bears and was given a consensus first team All-Pro nod once (1956) before injuries relegated him to primarily blocking duties in the backfield. He would help lead the Bears to the 1963 NFL Championship before moving on to play a season in Washington (1965) and finally Miami (1966) where he would end his career. His 5,797 career rushing yards still rank 79th all-time, all these years later. His 5,657 rushing yards with the Bears still rank third in franchise history, behind Walter Payton and another Florida Gators product in Neal Anderson (and ahead of Gale Sayers, a Hall-of-Famer who spent his entire career in Chicago, I might add). With names such as Ken Stabler, Jerry Kramer, Jim Marshall, Ray Guy, and others to consider as well, Casares would be a hard sell to the Senior Committee. But you can make a legitimate case for his Hall induction.
4. DE-DT Kevin Carter (1991-94 UF, played with four teams over 14 NFL seasons)
This one is easily the weakest case of all. Carter did the bulk of his damage as a pro in St. Louis. He recorded 17 sacks with the Rams in 1999, earned first team All-Pro honors and made the Pro Bowl as the franchise won it's first Super Bowl Title. Drafted as the sixth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Rams, Carter would record 62.5 sacks over six seasons with the team. He would move on to Tennessee for a big pay day in 2001, and while he was named to his second Pro Bowl in 2002 (a season where he recorded 10 sacks), his production generally tailed off as he was utilized in a number of roles across the defensive line under Jeff Fisher in Nashville. Carter would go on to play two seasons in Miami (2005-06) and Tampa Bay (2007-08) where he would finish his career crossing the 100-sack plateau. His 104.5 sacks rank 19th all time. At 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, Carter was a versatile player who could get after the quarterback, but also had the size and ability to play strong against the run, and move inside to play tackle if necessary. While the first stanza of his career was superb, the final two suggest his body of work was simply great, and not quite at the level for which the Hall of Fame requires for induction.
5. RB Fred Taylor (1994-97 UF, has played for two teams over 12 NFL seasons)**
**Here is the one exception to the rule, as Taylor is the lone player on this list still active in the NFL.
Taylor is set to play his second season for the New England Patriots this fall. The ninth overall selection of the 1998 NFL Draft, Taylor is one of the great specimens at the running back position in football history. In terms of physical talents, Taylor is on the same level as greats such as Jim Brown (who has noted his appreciation for Taylor's abilities in the past), Herschel Walker, and Bo Jackson in that he combines a massive frame (listed at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds) with a sprinter's speed. The one thing holding Taylor back is that he has always been overlooked for much of his career, however. In college, he split time in the Florida backfield, and was not leaned on heavily as a feature back until the second half of his senior season with the Gators. In Jacksonville, his abilities were routinely ignored, and despite an injury-marred tenure with the Jaguars, he still posted seven seasons of 1,000 yards or more (despite playing in just 140 of a possible 176 games with the Jags). Taylor has been named to just one Pro Bowl in his 12 seasons (2007). However, he stands just 460 rushing yards away from 12,000 for his career (an attainable number this season if he can stay healthy). Only 14 backs have passed that mystical plateau. Nine of them currently have a bust in Canton, three others (Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis and Marshall Faulk) become eligible for enshrinement next year, and two more (LaDanian Tomlinson and Edgerrin James) are still considered active, although James is not currently on an NFL roster. In all likelihood, all 14 of the backs with 12,000+ career yards will one day have a presence in Canton. If Taylor gets to that number, would be the first denied entrance? It's certainly possible. He has never been overly media friendly, which probably not only kept him out of a couple of Pro Bowls, but will hurt him going forward with the Hall as well. However, his career numbers certainly deserve strong consideration for the Hall of Fame, that much is not in question. Whether he finds himself one day in Canton is another matter entirely, however.
1. LT Lomas Brown (1981-84 UF, played with five teams over 18 NFL seasons)
One of the great left tackles in NFL history, Lomas Brown first came to fame as the 6-foot-4, 280-pound cornerstone of the famed "Great Wall of Florida" offensive line (which produced an additional pair of NFL lineman in Crawford Ker and Jeff Zimmerman) in the early 1980's. Brown was selected with the 6th overall pick of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, and he would see the bulk of his success as a professional over 11 seasons in the Motor City. Brown missed only eight starts during his time in Detroit, and would be selected to six Pro Bowls and was a consensus first-team All-Pro once (1995, his final season in Detroit), as the Lions developed into one of the top offensive powerhouses in the league. After leaving the Lions, Brown would make the Pro Bowl once more with Arizona (1996), and later played for the Browns and Giants before winning the Super Bowl as a back-up offensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, his final season as a pro. His 257 career starts are tied for seventh all-time in NFL history -- the only offensive lineman who found himself in the starting lineup more being the great Bruce Matthews. Of the six players to have started more NFL games than Brown, only one (Jim Marshall) is not currently in the NFL Hall of Fame.
2. OLB Wilber Marshall (1980-83, UF, played with five teams over 12 NFL seasons)
Marshall was one of the players who set forth the "new age" of what an outside linebacker should be like. Mobile, agile and hostile, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 230 pounds Marshall was originally recruited out of high school to play tight end for the Gators, but that would only last a season until Florida head coach Charley Pell convinced Marshall to switch to the weakside linebacker position on defense. Marshall would terrorize defenses over the course of his college career (the most notable example being a 14-tackle, 4-sack performance in a 17-9 upset win over USC in 1982) and would go on to do much of the same in his professional career as well. Selected with the 11th overall pick of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Marshall would quickly develop into a key component of Buddy Ryan's famed "46" defense, which also featured the likes of Mike Singeltary and Dan Hampton (both in the Hall of Fame) as well as Richard Dent and Steve "Mongo" McMichael (both of whom are deserving of bids as well). Marshall would win a Super Bowl in 1985 with the Bears, and eventually move on to the Redskins after four seasons of service in Chicago. Marshall would experience some of his greatest individual success in Washington, recording 24.5 sacks and going over 100 tackles in all five of his seasons with the Redskins. He would add another Super Bowl ring in 1991 as Washington marched to their third World championship under Joe Gibbs. Following perhaps his greatest individual season in 1992 (138 total tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions), where he was named to the Pro Bowl and garnered first team All-Pro honors, Marshall left Washington to sign with the Houston Oilers. However, injuries caught up with him in Texas, and Marshall's final three seasons (one-year stints with the Oilers, Cardinals and Jets) were relatively quiet. He retired from football after the 1995 season. However, Marshall left quite an impact across the league, having recorded over 1,000 tackles, 45 sacks, 23 interceptions, and 24 forced fumbles during his 12 seasons. Those numbers are right about on par with that of Chiefs great Willie Lanier, who was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1986. Marshall is a player whose abilities transcend time. He is one of just a handful of members of the exclusive career 20 sack/20 interception club.
3. FB Rick Casares (1951-53 UF, played with three teams over 11 NFL seasons)
Here is Florida's one entry for the Senior Committee to consider. A prep star in three sports (football, basketball and track & field) at Jefferson High School in Tampa. Casares is often thrown in the short list of players that pro scouts have described as possessing the rare combination of tools that would have allowed the player to make a prep-to-pros jump (along with name such as Earl Campbell, Herschel Walker, Andre Carter, Adrian Peterson and a few others). The college career of Casares was actually cut short due to his being drafted by the U.S. Army in 1953 (his junior year at Florida). A second-round pick (18th overall) of the 1954 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Casares would join the team in 1955 after serving a two-year military commitment. At 6-foot-2, and 225 pounds, Casares immediately became a bulldozing threat for the Bears coming out of the backfield. He led the league in rushing yards per attempt (5.4) as a rookie in 1955. The following year, Casares would lead the NFL in rushing with 1126 yards and 12 touchdowns on 236 carries as the Bears advanced to the 1956 NFL Championship, where they were soundly trounced by the New York Giants by a score of 47-7. Casares would be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five years with the Bears and was given a consensus first team All-Pro nod once (1956) before injuries relegated him to primarily blocking duties in the backfield. He would help lead the Bears to the 1963 NFL Championship before moving on to play a season in Washington (1965) and finally Miami (1966) where he would end his career. His 5,797 career rushing yards still rank 79th all-time, all these years later. His 5,657 rushing yards with the Bears still rank third in franchise history, behind Walter Payton and another Florida Gators product in Neal Anderson (and ahead of Gale Sayers, a Hall-of-Famer who spent his entire career in Chicago, I might add). With names such as Ken Stabler, Jerry Kramer, Jim Marshall, Ray Guy, and others to consider as well, Casares would be a hard sell to the Senior Committee. But you can make a legitimate case for his Hall induction.
4. DE-DT Kevin Carter (1991-94 UF, played with four teams over 14 NFL seasons)
This one is easily the weakest case of all. Carter did the bulk of his damage as a pro in St. Louis. He recorded 17 sacks with the Rams in 1999, earned first team All-Pro honors and made the Pro Bowl as the franchise won it's first Super Bowl Title. Drafted as the sixth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Rams, Carter would record 62.5 sacks over six seasons with the team. He would move on to Tennessee for a big pay day in 2001, and while he was named to his second Pro Bowl in 2002 (a season where he recorded 10 sacks), his production generally tailed off as he was utilized in a number of roles across the defensive line under Jeff Fisher in Nashville. Carter would go on to play two seasons in Miami (2005-06) and Tampa Bay (2007-08) where he would finish his career crossing the 100-sack plateau. His 104.5 sacks rank 19th all time. At 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, Carter was a versatile player who could get after the quarterback, but also had the size and ability to play strong against the run, and move inside to play tackle if necessary. While the first stanza of his career was superb, the final two suggest his body of work was simply great, and not quite at the level for which the Hall of Fame requires for induction.
5. RB Fred Taylor (1994-97 UF, has played for two teams over 12 NFL seasons)**
**Here is the one exception to the rule, as Taylor is the lone player on this list still active in the NFL.
Taylor is set to play his second season for the New England Patriots this fall. The ninth overall selection of the 1998 NFL Draft, Taylor is one of the great specimens at the running back position in football history. In terms of physical talents, Taylor is on the same level as greats such as Jim Brown (who has noted his appreciation for Taylor's abilities in the past), Herschel Walker, and Bo Jackson in that he combines a massive frame (listed at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds) with a sprinter's speed. The one thing holding Taylor back is that he has always been overlooked for much of his career, however. In college, he split time in the Florida backfield, and was not leaned on heavily as a feature back until the second half of his senior season with the Gators. In Jacksonville, his abilities were routinely ignored, and despite an injury-marred tenure with the Jaguars, he still posted seven seasons of 1,000 yards or more (despite playing in just 140 of a possible 176 games with the Jags). Taylor has been named to just one Pro Bowl in his 12 seasons (2007). However, he stands just 460 rushing yards away from 12,000 for his career (an attainable number this season if he can stay healthy). Only 14 backs have passed that mystical plateau. Nine of them currently have a bust in Canton, three others (Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis and Marshall Faulk) become eligible for enshrinement next year, and two more (LaDanian Tomlinson and Edgerrin James) are still considered active, although James is not currently on an NFL roster. In all likelihood, all 14 of the backs with 12,000+ career yards will one day have a presence in Canton. If Taylor gets to that number, would be the first denied entrance? It's certainly possible. He has never been overly media friendly, which probably not only kept him out of a couple of Pro Bowls, but will hurt him going forward with the Hall as well. However, his career numbers certainly deserve strong consideration for the Hall of Fame, that much is not in question. Whether he finds himself one day in Canton is another matter entirely, however.
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