Washington Commanders’ rookie minicamp wrapped up on Sunday with a familiar last name at safety: Taylor.
Gabe Taylor, the younger brother of former Washington safety Sean Taylor, tried out for the team after he went undrafted last month.
The younger Taylor, who played collegiately at Rice, wore No. 26. His brother’s No. 21 remains retired.
Sean Taylor died after he was shot in the leg during a home invasion partway through the 2007 season. The 24-year-old was posthumously named an All-Pro.
Gabe Taylor saw his brother’s jersey on the wall of the equipment room during his weekend at the team’s Ashburn, Virginia, practice facility.
“Coming through these doors, man, all the memories,” he told reporters on Saturday. “I had to take a moment to take a deep breath. I just looked at the helmet. It’s been the Washington Redskins, the Commanders, all my life. Hopefully, I can put it on again.”
The elder Taylor arrived in Ashburn as the fifth pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Weighing in at 230 pounds, his hard hits and ball-hawking abilities quickly became legendary for Washington fans.
Gabe Taylor, by comparison, is unheralded. He’s 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs under 200 pounds — hardly the physique that strikes fear in opposing offenses. The rookie said he’s accustomed to the critics.
“I like to see those comments, you know? I’m the type of person that thrives on critics,” he said. “I’d rather be criticized than all the positivity, because I got to get better.”
The rookie minicamp provided the first on-field look at this year’s draft class, headlined by first-round offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. The draftees practiced alongside signed undrafted free agents and tryout players.
The Commanders have not signed Gabe Taylor to any deal yet. Practicing on the fields his brother once graced is already a win, he said.
“I know you’re d—— proud of me,” Gabe Taylor said after a reporter asked how his older brother would react to the weekend.