1997 Football Roster
Roster
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Jersey Number 21
Fred Taylor
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 223
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Belle Glade
- High School:
- Glades Central
Florida Highlights:
1996
1995
1994
Prep
Major:
Earned bachelor’s degree in Sociology May 2024
- 1997 All-America third team (Associated Press & Sporting News)
- 1997 All-America honorable mention (The Football News)
- 1997 All-SEC first team (Associated Press and Coaches)
- 1994 SEC All-Freshman team
- Gators 1994 Outstanding Running Back
- SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 15, 1997)
- Finished UF career second in consecutive 100-yard games (5 in 1997), second season 100-yard games (8 in 1997) and third in career (14, 1994-97)
- 14 career 100-yard rushing games
- Finished career fourth on Florida’s career all-purpose yardage (604) and touchdowns (31), third in total yards gained (3,792)
- 234 Most Net Yards Tied for Fourth in SEC Bowl History (1998 Citrus Bowl) and Florida leader
- Ninth overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1998 NFL Draft
- 1997 All-America third team (Associated Press & Sporting News)
- 1997 All-America honorable mention (The Football News)
- 1997 All-SEC first team (Associated Press and Coaches)
- 1998 CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl Most Valuable Player
- 1997 Ray Graves Award winner as Gators most valuable player
- Florida’s leading rusher with 1,292 yards on 214 carries (6.0 yards per carry). Led UF with 1,530 all-purpose yards
- Led Gators with 13 touchdowns and eight 100-yard rushing performances
- 1997 Senior Bowl selection
1996
- Played in nine games (all but SW Louisiana, Georgia Southern and Tennessee) with two starts (South Carolina and Florida State). Also played in Sugar Bowl
- Named corecipient, with Elijah Williams, of UF’s Most Outstanding Running Back Awards in 1996
- 104 carries for 629 yards (6.0 avg.) and five TDs, as well as eight catches for 120 yards. 629 yards ranked second on team
- Three 100-yard rushing games (LSU, Auburn and South Carolina)
- Named the squad’s most improved running back during spring
1995
- Teamed with Elijah Williams and Terry Jackson to give UF a talented trio at TB
- Knee injury sideline Taylor for second half of 1995 season
- Played in six games for 118 plays
- Third on team in rushing with 281 yards (5.9 avg.) and five TDs
- Sidelined after suffering knee injury versus Georgia
1994
- Led Florida with 171 carries for 873 yards (5.1 ypc), eight TDs, long 25 (vs. Kentucky)
- 29 catches for 271 yards (9.3 ypc), long 50 (vs. LSU)
- Played in all 12 games (two starts- Auburn and Alabama) with a team-leading 421 plays. Also started in Sugar Bowl
- Named UF’s most Outstanding Running Back
- SEC All-Freshman Team selection by Knoxville News-Sentinel
- Sports Illustrated named him the South’s top freshman player in 1994
- 72.8 rushing yards per game ranked 10th best in SEC and led all SEC freshman (83.9 ypg vs. SEC foes)
- Team-high 873 rushing yards was second-best single season effort by a UF freshman in school history (Emmitt Smith ranks first with 1,341)
- Led team in rushing in eight of 12 regular-season games
Prep
- Considered the state’s top prep RB in ’93 and one of the nation’s elite players at that position
- 1993 Parade All-American
- Second-team USA Today All-American honors and was named to Blue Chip Illustrated’s “Dream Team”
- Among nation’s top five running backs by SuperPrep magazine
- Rushed for 1,545 yards on 150 carries (10.3 avp) with 20 TDs in ’93 and was named first-team all-state (3A) and was selected to the prestigious Florida Super Seniors Team
- Florida’s 3A Player of the Year and finished as the runner-up in the balloting for the 1993 Florida Mr. Football Award
- High School coach: Rick Casko
Major:
Earned bachelor’s degree in Sociology May 2024
| Years | Rush | Rec | Total | TD |
| 1994 | 873 | 271 | 1,144 | 8 |
| 1995 | 281 | 125 | 406 | 5 |
| 1996 | 629 | 83 | 712 | 5 |
| 1997 | 1,292 | 238 | 1530 | 13 |
| Total | 3,075 | 717 | 3,792 | 31 |
Up Next presented by UF Health (October 24, 2025)
Monday, October 27
Game Time presented by Tower Hill Insurance (October 24, 2025)
Monday, October 27
Game Time presented by Tower Hill Insurance 10-24-25
Friday, October 24
Up Next presented by UF Health 10-24-25
Friday, October 24
