The ACC has a brand new downside on its arms — and he got here straight out of the HBCU soccer pipeline. Former North Carolina Central College (NCCU) working again J’Mari Taylor is now the ACC’s dashing chief in dashing yards and second in dashing touchdowns. In his first yr with the Virginia Cavaliers, Taylor has wasted no time proving he belongs on the Energy 5 stage. Speeding his strategy to a first-team All-ACC choice and a championship sport look.
From HBCU Standout to ACC Breakout
Taylor entered the switch portal on the finish of the 2024 season after a powerful yr at NCCU, and he shortly discovered a brand new house. He dedicated to Virginia on December 18th, saying the transfer by means of Instagram. Since then, his rise has been quick and plain.
Taylor isn’t just padding stats — he’s chasing historical past. Heading into Virginia’s ACC championship sport matchup towards Duke, Taylor wants solely three yards to safe back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, one thing no Cavalier working again has achieved since 2018.
Fueling One of many ACC’s Most Explosive Offenses
Virginia’s offense has taken an enormous step ahead this yr, and Taylor has been the regular drive behind it. The Cavaliers are presently fourth in complete offense within the ACC and averaging 33.2 factors per sport.
A Season Filled with Assertion Video games
Taylor has delivered huge moments all season lengthy. In his first convention sport towards NC State, he rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns — in solely his second look within the ACC.
He saved stacking spotlight performances, together with outings towards Cal and Duke, the place he topped 100 yards and two touchdowns in every sport. Scouts have taken discover, and his NFL inventory continues to rise with every dominant week.
NCCU and the MEAC Noticed This Coming
Whereas the ACC could also be stunned, HBCU soccer followers already knew J’Mari Taylor had star potential.
At NCCU, he spent 2023 behind veteran again Latrell Collier. However in 2024, Taylor took over the lead position, exploding for over 1,100 dashing yards and 15 complete touchdowns. His breakout second got here on nationwide TV towards Howard, when he ran for 206 yards and three scores in a primetime showdown on ESPN.
Persevering with the Legacy of HBCU Expertise within the ACC
Taylor isn’t the primary HBCU product to interrupt out within the ACC. Simply final season, Bhayshul Tuten, previously of North Carolina A&T, dominated at Virginia Tech earlier than heading to the NFL. Tuten is now in his rookie yr with the Jacksonville Jaguars, proving that elite HBCU expertise can translate on the highest degree.
The query now’s easy: Can J’Mari Taylor comply with that very same path and punch his ticket to the NFL?
If his first season within the ACC is any indication, the HBCU product is nicely on his approach.
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