Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 17-3vs Tulane | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Wk 2 | W 31-27@ Illinois | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | Season-high 11 yds |
| Total | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 0 | 11 |
#15
Jake Taylor
Senior tight end for Duke. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 240 lb · Apex, NC · Cardinal Gibbons
Returning to Duke for 2026
The numbers
16
receiving yards · 2026
2 catches · 8 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 11 yds, at Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 tight end for Duke. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Duke in 2022.
Buzz vs Tape
Fans hotter than the country
His own fans read him warmer than the wider college football conversation does — a gap of 35 points in belief.
35own fans
0national conversation
After battling injuries for years at Oklahoma, Iowa State offensive lineman Jake Taylor is grateful and eager for his opportunity in Ames. Jake Brend reports on Taylor's journey to one of Iowa State's captains. Presented by…
Jake Taylor
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment. Five seasons at Duke, three different head coaches: Mike Elko, Trooper Taylor and Manny Diaz. One game to point at: 11 rec yds, 1 receptions against Illinois — Week 2, 2026.
16 REC YDS · 2 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with Duke3-star out of Cardinal Gibbons
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Duke
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Mike Elko, Trooper Taylor, and Manny Diaz. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Duke9-4HC: Mike Elko · Run-leaning
2023Duke8-5HC: Trooper Taylor · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2024Duke9-4HC: Manny Diaz · Pass-leaning
2025Duke9-5HC: Manny Diaz · Balanced
2026Duke2-0HC: Manny Diaz · Run-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.0 REC/g, 8.0 YDS/g, 8.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Manny Diaz
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 31–27
at Illinois
1 rec · 11 yds
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 4 on the road.
With W. Eget — 206 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 75.9 · -2 rush yds (1 car) · N. Sheppard — 147 rush yds (24 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Duke
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · Duke
Returning around him
- 17% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 3 Duke players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (19 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Duke · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #69 · 2026 recruiting class #71
DNA match
Player DNA
Complete TE
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
TE
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Dylan Leonard’s 2022 season.
Matches Dylan on
Weight
EPA / play (adj)
Total EPA (college ability)
Differs from Dylan on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Grant Misch's junior season at Virginia (2022).
Matches Grant on
Total EPA (college ability)
Weight
Reception volume
Differs from Grant on
Class year (lower)
EPA / play (adj) (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jake Taylor
Background
2026: Returning tight end … 2025 Academic All-ACC selection … in 32 career games (six starts), has recorded 14 receptions for 108 yards (7.71) … with Duke’s tight end group riddled by injuries in 2024, took over starting duties for the second half of the season ... owns 3+ receptions in two games...
The tight end room · Duke
- #85Jeremiah Hasley454 receiving yards · 2025
- #44Nate Kurisky157 receiving yards · 2025
- #15Jake Taylor20 receiving yards · 2025
- #46Tony Boggs1 game · 2026
- #81Brett Elliottno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · Duke team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology