UVA adds portal running back; loses receiver Malachi Fields

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia has added a running back to its roster via the transfer portal in first-team All-MEAC standout J’Mari Taylor, who led the conference in rushing touchdowns last season.

Taylor, who starred at West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C., went on to post an outstanding career at North Carolina Central. He is a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.

Meanwhile, UVA has surprisingly lost star wide receiver Malachi Fields, who has entered the transfer portal (more on that momentarily).

Taylor is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back who rushed for 1,882 yards over the past three seasons, averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 104 yards per game. He also hauled in 30 passes for an additional 271 yards and two scores during his career at Central.

Those numbers earned him first-team All-MEAC, and he was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top offensive player in FCS football annually. Taylor graded out at 86.1 by Pro Football Focus. He broke 45 tackles and rushed for 700 yards after contact.

It is surprising that Fields, a Charlottesville native, decided to leave UVA with the news of two new quarterbacks coming in via the portal (see related story). The big target (6-4, 220), led Virginia in receptions last season with 55 (targeted 94 times) for 808 yards and 5 touchdowns. In 2023 he had 58 catches (100 targets) for 811 yards and also 5 scores.