FLORIDA FOOTBALL & RECRUITING COVERAGE

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Former Florida Gators offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor is preparing for the NFL Draft and is taking Inside the Gators along for the journey. Here in his first Draft Diary, Taylor reflects back on his performance at the NFL Combine and the feedback he’s been receiving from teams.

While at the Combine, Taylor measured in at 6-foot-5, 312-pounds and bench-pressed 225-pounds 24 times. He did limited workouts per recommendation from Dr. James Andrews after he was found with a mild distal hamstring strain.

It was great. I had a lot of fun; getting an opportunity to come in there and showcase my talent for the teams it was just very fun for me. I just did positional work, I did the offensive line positional work and then yesterday I did the bench press but that was it. I plan on doing pretty much everything else that I didn’t do at the Combine at the Pro Day [and told teams that].

Interviews were very great. They pretty much wanted to get to know me more as a person, as a player as well and we watched film and some teams had me write stuff on a board so it was a lot different then any other interviews I did but it was a great experience. Sometimes they tried to get me to memorize some of their plays and then at the end of the interview, rewrite the plays that they showed me in the beginning. I feel like I connected with the majority of the teams and it was just a great experience to be able to come in and get to know the coaches. Just have the opportunity to get talk to them, it was fun…you had to be more of a student of the game to do some of the things they had me doing so I feel like everything I did this year [with Coach Hevesy] prepared me for everything I need.

[This past year] meant everything. It really changed us around as a team, it made me a better player, a better athlete. It made us more mentally tough. Everything we did in the offseason brought us closer together as a team and we fought hard for one another and we had a great season. I feel like that really prepared all the draft class for the NFL.

I been hearing I’m taken Top 10, Top 15, and the coaches, it’s never really a specific position but I told all the teams pretty much whatever position I can come in and help them win right away, that’s what I’m gonna play. So whether it’s tackle or guard, I can be a guard as well. So I’m just looking forward to playing.

Taylor tells Inside the Gators he will now turn his focus to training for Florida’s Pro Day. The workout will take place on campus on March 27. Following that, Taylor will begin to meet privately with teams. The NFL Draft will begin April 25.

Follow along with Inside the Gators and Jawaan Taylor as he continues his path to the draft.