Darius Taylor

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Position:
RB
Ht./Wt.:
6-0 / 215
Hometown:
Detroit, Mich.
High School:
Walled Lake Western
Years in College / At Minnesota:
2 / 2
Remaining Eligibility Entering 2025 Season:
3 years
Letters:
1
Class:
Sophomore

PRONUNCIATION

HONORS:
Academic All-Big Ten (2024)
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2024, 2023)
Big Ten Freshman of the Week (3x in 2023)
Quick Lane Bowl MVP (2023)

2025 • JUNIOR SEASON: Rushed 30 times for 141 yards and caught four passes for 36 yards against Buffalo • caught one pass for nine yards and carried the ball three times for 20 yards against Northwestern State.

2024 • SOPHOMORE SEASON: Started 11 of the 12 games he played in • rushed 205 times for 986 yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns • caught 54 passes for 350 yards and two touchdowns • completed one pass for a 10-yard touchdown • led team in all-purpose yards with 1,336 (986 rushing, 350 receiving). Game-by-Game: Carried the ball 14 times for 64 yards against Rhonde Island and also caught four passes for 48 yards to total 112 all-purpose yards • totaled 161 all-purpose yards (11 rushes for 124 yards and five receptions for 37 yards) and three touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 receiving) against Nevada • rushed 10 times for 34 yards and caught two passes for 13 yards against Iowa • carried the ball 13 times for 36 yards and two touchdowns and also caught 10 passes for 52 yards at Michigan • totaled 200 all-purpose yards (144 rushing, 56 receiving) against USC • totaled 47 yards (30 rushing, 17 receiving) and scored two touchdowns (1 rushing, 1 receiving) at UCLA • totaled 115 all-purpose yards (18 carries for 81 yards and one touchdown and five receptions for 34 yards) against Maryland • rushed for one touchdown and totaled 189 all-purpose yards (22 carries for 131 yards and nine receptions for 58 yards) at Illinois • caught two passes and rushed 10 times for 28 yards and one touchdown at Rutgers • rushed for 58 yards and had eight receiving yards against Penn State • totaled 156 all-purpose yards (143 rushing, 13 receiving) at Wisconsin • rushed 20 times for 113 yards and one touchdown against Virginia Tech and also caught four passes for 17 yards and threw a 10-yard touchdown to Elijah Spencer to become the first Minnesota running back to throw for a touchdown since Shannon Brooks did so against Iowa in 2015.

2023 • FRESHMAN SEASON: Played in six games, starting four times • rushed 138 times for 799 yards (fifth most ever by a freshman in school history) and five touchdowns • averaged 133.2 rushing yards per game (third most ever in school history) • set a true freshman rushing record with 208 yards against Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl • led team with 891 all-purpose yards (799 rushing and 92 receiving) and averaged 148.50 all-purpose yards per game • had three games with 200+ all-purpose yards (219 vs. Bowling Green, 216 at Northwestern and 206 vs. Eastern Michigan) • second on the team in total offense with 799 yards for an average of 133.2 yards per game • third on the team in scoring with 30 points. Game-by-Game: Made his Minnesota and collegiate debut against Nebraska and rushed one time for three yards • rushed 33 times for 193 yards and one touchdown against Eastern Michigan • added 13 receiving yards for 206 all-purpose yards • his 193 yards were second most in school history for a true freshman (Darrell Thompson 205 yards against Bowling Green in 1986) • gained 138 yards and scored one touchdown on 22 carries at North Carolina and also caught one pass for 25 yards • became the first Minnesota true freshman to rush for more than 100 yards in consecutive games (193 vs. Eastern Michigan and 138 at North Carolina) since Laurence Maroney in November 2003 • gained 198 yards and scored two touchdowns on 31 carries at Northwestern, while also recording 18 receiving yards • missed the Louisiana and Michigan games with an injury • rushed 16 times for 59 yards at Iowa and also caught three passes for 25 yards • rushed for 208 yards (most ever in a single game by a true freshman) and one touchdown against Bowling Green, while also making two receptions for 11 yards • named MVP of the Quick Lane Bowl.

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Walled Lake Western High School in Walled Lake, Mich. • wore No. 1 for the Warriors • as a senior, rushed 268 times for 2,450 yards and 36 touchdowns (rushing yards and touchdowns broke school records set by Arnie Gillert in 1992, which were 2,178 yards and 32 touchdowns) • caught 14 passes for 292 yards and one touchdown • set single-game school records for rushing yards (438 against Milford), touchdowns (6, which he did three times) and points (36, which he did three times) • named 2022 MHSFCA First Team All-State, First Team All-State by the Detroit Free Press, All-Region, Lakes Valley First Team All-Conference, MLive Metro Detroit Football Dream Team and Detroit News All-North First Team • as a junior, gained 1,379 yards and scored 22 touchdowns on 136 rushing attempts • made 27 receptions for 494 yards and four touchdowns • coached by Kory Cioroch • also competed in track and field (100 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 4x100, 4x200, 4x400 and discus events) and was a state qualifying wrestler at 189 pounds, finishing with a 23-6 record • listed as a four-star recruit by Rivals • ranked as the No. 6 prospect in Michigan and the No. 12 running back in the nation according to Rivals • enrolled at Minnesota in January 2023.

PERSONAL: Son of Shanika Dennis, Carletta Taylor and Darius Taylor Sr. • has six sisters (Mia White, McCray White Jr., McKenzie White, Madison White, Naveah Siefman and Mariah Lang).