Leonard Taylor III Is Earning His Stripes in New England, and Mike Vrabel Is Taking Notice
The New England Patriots have been quietly but steadily building a pipeline of talent through their practice squad all season long. It’s a strategy rooted in development and readiness-one that’s starting to pay dividends. Case in point: defensive lineman Leonard Taylor III.
At 6’3” and 305 pounds, Taylor doesn’t just fill out a uniform-he’s starting to fill out a role. The rookie has already made appearances in three regular-season games, getting called up from the practice squad in Weeks 15, 17, and 18.
Over those 52 defensive snaps, he racked up eight tackles, four quarterback pressures, and three run stops. Not bad for a first-year player still getting his feet under him.
What stood out was Taylor’s ability to shed blocks and disrupt plays-traits that caught the eye of head coach Mike Vrabel, who rewarded the young lineman with a promotion to the 53-man roster for the Patriots’ wild-card matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Vrabel has been consistent all year about one thing: everyone on the roster, including the practice squad, needs to prepare like they’re going to play on Sunday. And he’s backed that up with action-elevating at least one practice squad player in 15 of 17 regular-season games.
The only exceptions? Week 5 against Buffalo and Week 16 against Baltimore.
Ahead of the wild-card game, Vrabel spoke candidly about Taylor’s progress.
“We’ve seen Leonard Taylor go out there, make contributions and play,” Vrabel said. “And so, I’m always in favor of when guys earn it, that they get what they earn, and then when they get opportunities that they take advantage of them, and then they can earn more opportunity.”
And Taylor’s doing exactly that.
In the playoff win over the Chargers, Taylor logged 22 defensive snaps. He was part of the unit that recovered a fumble and celebrated the moment in the end zone-one of those small but telling signs that a player is starting to feel like he belongs. At just 23 years old, Taylor fits right in with the youth movement Vrabel has been leaning into, and his physical style of play meshes well with the aggressive, disciplined identity the Patriots are trying to build on defense.
This isn’t just about plugging holes. Vrabel’s approach is about teaching, developing, and connecting with his players. From Day 1, he’s emphasized the importance of having coaches who can do more than just draw up schemes-they need to teach the game, inspire their players, and build the kind of relationships that foster growth and accountability.
“As long as I’m the head coach here, our coaches will have three simple jobs,” Vrabel said during his introductory press conference. “They want to teach, they want to develop, and they want to inspire our players by making a connection.”
That philosophy is starting to show up on the field. Young players like Taylor aren’t just getting chances-they’re making the most of them.
Looking ahead, Taylor may not be a full-time starter just yet, especially with the Patriots’ defensive front mostly healthy. But his role is growing.
He’s earning rotational snaps, and in the playoffs, depth on the defensive line is critical. The ability to rotate fresh legs into the pass rush can be the difference between a late-game stop and a drive that keeps a season alive.
If Taylor keeps trending upward-disrupting plays, staying disciplined, and proving he can hold his ground-he’s setting himself up for a bigger role in 2026 and beyond. For now, he’s doing exactly what Vrabel asks of all his players: staying ready, earning his shot, and making the most of every snap.