The Big Ten Freshman of the Week (3x in 2023), Darius Taylor’s game reflects all three in an RB: toughness, grit, and fierceness. The Detroit-born junior has become the heartbeat of the Minnesota Gophers’ offense, carving up defenses with a surgical mix of vision and versatility. In 2024, Taylor started 11 of the 12 games he played, racking up 986 rushing yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns on 205 carries. But he wasn’t just a ground threat—he hauled in 54 receptions for 350 yards and added two more scores through the air. He even completed a 10-yard touchdown pass, becoming a Swiss Army knife in the Gophers’ scheme. His 1,336 all-purpose yards led the team by a mile.

Before donning maroon and gold, Darius Taylor starred at Walled Lake Western High School in Michigan, where he rushed for a staggering 2,450 yards and 36 TDs his senior year alone. His athletic profile stretched beyond the gridiron—Taylor competed in track and field (100 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, and discus events), and even qualified for state as a 189-pound wrestler. Ranked the No. 12 RB nationally by Rivals, Taylor entered college with high expectations and has more than delivered. A business marketing education major, he’s also active on the NIL front through Minneapolis-based agency Team IFA. But to understand where his drive comes from, you’ve got to look far beyond the field.

Who are Darius Taylor’s parents?

Darius is the son of Shanika Dennis, Carletta Taylor, and Darius Taylor Sr., and he grew up surrounded by six sisters: Mia White, McCray White Jr., McKenzie White, Madison White, Naveah Siefman, and Mariah Lang. His mother was just 16 and his father 19 when he was born—kids themselves, navigating life with limited resources. It was the extended family that stepped into the gaps, shaping Darius’s worldview with steady hands. His upbringing wasn’t easy, but it was rich in love and rooted in structure, thanks to the collective effort of those around him.

Who is Darius’ father, Darius Taylor Sr.?

The story of Darius’s father is complicated, painful, and formative. In 2009, following a heated argument in Detroit, Darius Sr. exchanged gunfire with the father of his girlfriend’s child—a confrontation that left the other man dead. Four-year-old Darius Taylor Jr. was in the car at the time. While he has no memory of that day, its ripple effects shaped his life. His father fled and was a fugitive for two years before being arrested in Tennessee in 2011. At trial in 2012, a claim of self-defense was rejected, and Darius Sr. was convicted of second-degree murder and two felony weapons charges. He’s now serving a 32-year sentence, with his earliest release in 2043.

But despite prison walls and years lost, their bond has never broken. “He means everything to me. He is my motivation to get out of here. I am doing everything I can to get out of here,” his father said. Darius speaks to him almost every day. “He’s been really big for me,” the younger Taylor said. “I never really lost contact with him, ever.” Through phone calls and unshakable belief, the two have forged a relationship that defies circumstances and fuels Taylor’s rise.

Who is Darius Taylor’s mother?

While his biological mother wasn’t heavily involved in raising him, Taylor holds deep appreciation for the women who stepped in. For a time, he lived with his maternal great-grandmother, Bertha Amiker, until she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. From there, the torch was picked up by his aunt, Shanika Dennis, and paternal grandmother, Carletta Taylor. “They really helped me and steered me in the right direction to make the right decisions,” he said. “And they still do to this day.”

Shanika played a critical role—she introduced him to football and wrestling and set the bar for academic and athletic achievement. “Darius continuing to do well in academics and on the field, that’s super impressive,” she said. “I didn’t even expect all of this. In my mind, I just wanted him to graduate from high school.” She and Carletta made sure he did a whole lot more than that. Their steady guidance gave him the discipline and drive to break out from a tough Detroit upbringing into Big Ten stardom.

What is the nationality and ethnicity of his parents?

Taylor’s family is American and likely Christian. But more than heritage, it’s the shared values that have carried him this far.

In every yard gained, every tackle broken, and every call from prison answered, Darius Taylor is running toward a future shaped by those who refused to give up on him.