Scouting report on 49ers rookie DL Jullian Taylor

Hello Faithful! Today, we continue our scouting reports on the San Francisco 49ers 2018 draft class. Our focus turns towards Temple University defensive tackle Jullian Taylor. Taylor was the first selection in the seventh and final round for the 49ers. The redshirt senior from Glendale, Pennsylvania comes with limited experience will add depth and value along the defensive line.

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The San Francisco 49ers have not been shy about adding depth and bodies along the defensive line. Up until this year, their last three first round picks were all defensive linemen (Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, and Solomon Thomas). It’s never a bad idea to have as many options as possible to rotate in and out of the game based on potential packages and schemes being executed.

Today, we will take a closer look at Taylor and see how he can contribute to the defense this season and beyond. Like most seventh round picks, just making the initial 53 man roster is a tall order. Do one of those spots have Taylor’s name on it? Let’s dive in and find out!

Measureables

Name: Jullian Taylor
School: Temple
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 280 lbs.
Bench: 31 reps
40 Yard Dash: 4.83
Vertical Jump: 31 1/2”
Broad Jump: 9’6”
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.77
3-Cone Drill: 7.32

Career Stats

During Taylor’s career at Temple he started in 15 games, recored 53 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss, and 1 sack.

Film

PROS

• Has the size and physical features that evaluators seek at the next level. Strong athletic build in his upper body.
• Was a consistent tackler in the limited action that he saw on the field during his career at Temple.
• Good instincts and disruptive against the run. Can quickly fill gaps and anticipate where the play is going to occur.
• Drives himself cleanly into blockers and uses his hips to generate more lower body strength.
• Strong hands against blockers in one-to-one matchups on the line of scrimmage.
• Has good straight-line speed for the position, and generates burst on his initial first step.

CONS

• Many times on film Taylor was out-muscled and overwhelmed with blockers at the line.
• Injuries and durability will need to be monitored. Taylor was absent for most of the 2015 and and 2016 seasons. Only recored 15 games during his career at Temple.
• Will need to be more fluid in his hips. While he has good straight-line speed, he will need to work on positioning his body to change direction quicker at the next level.
• Only 1 career collegiate sack and a non-factor as a pass rusher.

Summary

From a value perspective he was drafted in the correct round. Watching his tape, there are positive contributions that Taylor brings to the table. The most coming from his abilities against the run. As I saw on tape, Taylor can be disruptive in running lanes, especially up the middle. His 2017 season was impressive.

There are some red flags and concerns I see with Taylor. Durability is a major concern. Taylor has had multiple knee injuries including arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus and then injuring the knee more seriously, tearing the ACL. He has since recovered from both injuries, but his knee will need to be monitored. The good news is that Taylor had a successful final season at Temple and played injury-free. Unfortunately, due to injuries he has only appeared in 15 career collegiate games. The final issue is that he is not a pass rusher and only has one career sack.

Just like with all 7th round selections, I believe Taylor has an uphill battle to climb if he is to make the 53 man roster. In an already crowded defensive line, Taylor will need to find ways to stick out amongst the crowd. A strong training camp and preseason are a must, and even then he seems to be a roster bubble candidate at best. The team did draft him though, and in his limited collegiate action, the coaches and front office saw something in Taylor. Personally, I praise his abilities to have fought back from all the setbacks and injuries. He is a roster bubble candidate at best, and more than likely heading for the practice squad to further develop his skills.

What are YOUR thoughts on Jullian Taylor? Will he make the 53 Man Roster? Do we see him in action at some point during the 2018 season? Please share in the comments below!