Two weeks ago, Jake Taylor was biding his time, just waiting for his opportunity to return to the lineup for the Philadelphia Waterdogs. Now, with a week left in the regular season, he’s living out a childhood dream and trying to bring a championship to his hometown team.
“I have just a ton of great memories supporting the Outlaws and being a part of that as a fan,” Taylor said. “And now it’s just an unbelievable honor and privilege to represent Denver.”
Ahead of last weekend’s games, the Denver Outlaws picked up Taylor off waivers from the Waterdogs. Denver looked to add a spark to its offense, and Taylor had long been a potential target should he become available.
When Philadelphia left him unprotected, it was an easy move for Outlaws head coach and general manager Tim Soudan. Taylor was surprised at first but embraced the opportunity. After nearly three months off a 19-man roster, this was an opportunity to make an impact.
“I was just so excited to have a chance to play again,” Taylor said.
Since his final Waterdogs appearance on May 16, Taylor had worked out mostly on his own. He built time to go to the weight room and keep his stick in his hands. A few times throughout the season, he would get to suit up for a team practice to stay sharp and build chemistry with his teammates.
There’s no replicating game speed, though, especially for a player like Taylor.
“I can’t go run around and set fake off-ball picks on an empty field without a ball and just run around and set picks on guys that aren’t there and simulate how the defense is going to slide or how a dodger is gonna be dodging,” Taylor said. “It’s got to happen live and in the moment.”
The second-year pro is one of the most revered off-ball players in the league. Even in his first game with the Outlaws — during which he scored two goals on two shots in a win over the New York Atlas — his new teammates recognized his unique ability without the ball in his stick.
Jake Taylor 🤝 Crease Finishes pic.twitter.com/wpYmlc5n5D
— Denver Outlaws (@DenverOutlaws) August 12, 2026
There’s one Denver teammate Taylor didn’t get to play with Saturday but knows the crafty crease attacker better than almost any player in the league: Pat Kavanagh.
The duo, alongside Chris Kavanagh of the California Redwoods, formed one of the greatest attack lines in college lacrosse history at Notre Dame. When Taylor broke into that unit after battling injuries early in his college career, it didn’t take long to realize this group could be special.
From their first six-on-six rep in practice together, the chemistry was apparent. The younger Kavanagh initiated the dodge and moved it to Taylor, who threw a perfect no-look feed to a cutting Pat Kavanagh on the back side.
“It was a simple play, but it was just the timing and spacing of everything between us three,” Kavanagh said. “That’s when I kind of knew, like, this kid’s gonna be elite alongside me and Chris.”
In the years since they won two championships together in South Bend, there had always been a hope of reuniting the feeder-finisher duo in Denver. While a Kavanagh injury will delay that reunion for now, there’s a Fighting Irish fever in the Outlaws attack room.
The college reunion is only part of the kismet connection for Taylor and Denver. The son of a Denver Pioneer who grew up in the city as the sport of lacrosse exploded, Taylor was raised on the golden years of the Outlaws.
Gamedays at Mile High, including the annual Fourth of July game, remain fond summer memories. The towering figure of John Grant Jr., the face of Denver lacrosse on the field and in the arena, was an idol for a young Taylor falling in love with the game.
The Outlaws were role models on the field, but also more directly. Eric Law and Cameron Flint both coached Taylor during his youth lacrosse days.
After years of cheering on and learning from the Outlaws, Taylor got to put on that iconic orange jersey for himself.
“There’s countless guys who’ve played for that team and played for this team, and now I get to just be a part of that history, which is really really cool,” Taylor said.
Denver, which clinched a playoff spot last week, will close out the regular season this Sunday with a matchup against the Redwoods in Philadelphia (3:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+).