He’s a University of Virginia football star now, coming off a memorable performance against Virginia Tech. But last March, J’Mari Taylor was just another wide-eyed patron at Legoland.
“Man,” Taylor said, “they had the big dragon Lego in the water and stuff. That place was amazing!”
Legoland is a 150-acre theme park in Central Florida that Taylor visited during spring break along with members of his family, including his 9-year-old brother, Ohaji. J’Mari said Ohaji enjoyed the experience, but the Taylor boy who departed Legoland with a new hobby was the college graduate student.
Taylor celebrates with Wahoo fans Saturday after running and throwing for a touchdown in 鶹ƽ win over Virginia Tech at Scott Stadium. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)
“I went in there,” J’Mari Taylor said, “and I was like, ‘Oh, I got to get this. I got to do that.’ So, I did it. Got a Batman, got a car … and here we are today.”
Taylor, a transfer from North Carolina Central University, enters Saturday’s ACC Championship Game against Duke University needing three rushing yards to become the 16th player in UVA program history to reach 1,000 yards in a season. He’s already the seventh Wahoo to ever run for 14 touchdowns in a season. And, in last week’s 27-7 thumping of the archrival Hokies, Taylor became the second UVA running back in 30 years to run and throw for a score in the same game.
But those facts and figures define just a sliver of the Charlotte native. He has a pet snake named Batman and a cane corso dog named Ayla. His right leg is tattooed with various movie villains. He’s a world traveler, via annual cruises he takes with his family.
“And,” he said, “what’s crazy is next year, you’ll probably see me with a monkey. I’ve started to look into it.”
Taylor sits at a counter in his apartment and touches up a Lego version of the Commonwealth Cup recently pieced together by University Communications photographer Matt Riley. The real Cup was awarded Saturday to the UVA football team after it defeated archrival Virginia Tech at Scott Stadium. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)
“J’Mari,” said Taylor’s roommate, Suderian Harrison, a UVA receiver, “he’s a one-of-a-kind guy. Special dude.”
Taylor labels himself “curious.” Since falling for Legos in the spring, he’s already constructed a 750-piece Batman and has made significant progress on a 1,450-piece Camaro. The toy car isn’t complete yet because Taylor made a vow in August, shortly before 鶹ƽ first game against Coastal Carolina, to abstain from building during the season. “Legos would stress me out too much,” he said.
He’s that serious about his new favorite craft.
“I love how Legos get me to think,” said Taylor, who has a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from North Carolina Central and is working toward a leadership certificate from 鶹ƽ School of Continuing and Professional Studies. “The directions can be tricky, but once you figure it out and it comes together, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Taylor has a genuine appreciation for the little things in life. His climb to becoming a top player on a team on the brink of qualifying for the College Football Playoff began , a historically Black college in Durham that competes in the lower-tier Football Championship Subdivision. He was the first in his family to go to college.
