Los Angeles Rams Select Jason Taylor II in Seventh Round of 2023 NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams selected former Oklahoma State safety Jason Taylor II with the 17th pick of the seventh round (No. 234 overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The OKC native came to OSU as a three-star prospect out of Carl Albert High School as part of the 2018 class. After a redshirt season (in which he saw the field in three games), Taylor played every game as a redshirt frosh, quickly making a name for himself as a special teams phenom.

His legend grew in 2020 when he ran back a Kansas State fumble 85 yards to the house and then returned an onside kick for a touchdown against Texas Tech. By his junior season, he had shed his special teams status and started 13 games, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention.

In 2022, Taylor took another step forward, leading the Big 12 in solo tackles (80) and interceptions (six). He was a Walter Camp Second-Team All-American, a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist and an All-Big 12 first-teamer.

After winning the Super Bowl in the 2021-22 season, the Rams had a disappointing 2022-23, going 5-12. It’s been a busy draft weekend for Los Angeles, as Taylor was the 13th prospect the Rams took (and they still have another pick). Taylor is, however, just the second defensive back LA has taken, joining fellow Big 12er Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson out of TCU, who went in the sixth round.