Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 9-19@ South Florida | 7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 33-20vs Buffalo | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#9
Josiah Taylor
Junior linebacker for Florida International. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 230 lb · Sebring, FL
CFB Index 53 · #262 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Florida International for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
8
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 7 tackles, at South Florida
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Florida International. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Florida International in 2024.
Josiah Taylor
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Josiah Taylor has been at Florida International through two head coaches in three seasons. The receipt: 7 tackles against South Florida — Week 1, 2026.
8 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20244 games
- Signed with Florida International3-star out of Sebring
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Florida International
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Florida International
2025–2026era →
Willie Simmons
Florida International
Coaching transition mid-career: Mike MacIntyre → Willie Simmons. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Florida International4-8HC: Mike MacIntyre · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Florida International7-6HC: Willie Simmons · Balanced
2026Florida International1-1HC: Willie Simmons · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Willie Simmons
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
53 · #262 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #262 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Conference USA
Based on 2025: #22 of 45 Conference USA LBs
How the All-Conference USA estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Florida International | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Florida International | 71 | 30 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Florida International | 4 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 83 | 33 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 33–20
vs Buffalo
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Florida International
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Florida International
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -5 net (17 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Florida International · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #90 · 2026 recruiting class #102
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Eldrick Robinson II’s 2021 season.
80%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Eldrick on
Weight
Sack rate
TFL rate
Differs from Eldrick on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Isaiah Chisom's sophomore season at Oregon State (2024).
Matches Isaiah on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Josiah Taylor
The linebacker corps · Florida International
- #9Josiah Taylor71 tackles · 2025
- #11Percy Courtney Jr.38 tackles · 2025
- #22Brayshawn Littlejohn32 tackles · 2025
- #17Kani Smith3 tackles · 2025
- #34Cam Davis1 tackle · 2025
4 more on the roster · Florida International team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology