The novelty of Jones-Drew distracts from the larger point: He has become one of the league’s elite running backs. This season, Jones-Drew is cementing that status while carrying the largest load of his career, playing for the first time in a backfield by himself after the Jaguars cut Fred Taylor, once his mentor and now a Patriot.

Jones-Drew will provide a unique challenge for his former teammate’s new team, and how well the Patriots tackle him will help decide Sunday’s game. His low center of gravity makes him difficult to knock off his feet, his quickness helps him squirm out of a tackler’s grasp, and his power pushes piles forward at the end of runs. Tackling a bull might be easier.

“There’s no doubt, he’s definitely one of the top backs we’ve seen,’’ Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “And we’ve seen a lot of good ones. He can do it all. He’s returned kicks. He’s good in pass protection. He catches the ball very well. He has a good feel in the passing game. He can run inside, he can run outside, he can run with power, he can run with speed.’’

Jones-Drew’s ability convinced the Jaguars to cut ties with Taylor, the franchise’s all-time greatest player. After the Jaguars signed Jones-Drew to a four-year contract extension worth more than $30 million, they couldn’t afford both in the same backfield.

“It was never in any way meant as a type of disrespect or anything like that toward Fred,’’ Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. “I think the organization felt great about the contributions he made here for the time that he was here. But it was time for more of Maurice, so that’s what we elected to do.’’

Immediately, Jones-Drew vindicated Jacksonville’s decision to hand over its running game to him. Jones-Drew is tied for the league lead with 15 rushing touchdowns and has gained more rushing yards than anyone except Chris Johnson and Steven Jackson. He’s also caught 49 passes, sixth among running backs, for 333 yards. Since Jones-Drew entered the league, he has scored 56 touchdowns - only LaDainian Tomlinson, with 71, has more.

While Jones-Drew has excelled in his first year without Taylor, the news of Taylor’s release initially stung. Coming to the Jaguars out of UCLA in 2006, Jones-Drew heard stories about veterans acting coldly toward rookies out of fear they would usurp them on the roster. Jones-Drew worried about how Taylor would receive him.

On the day they met, Taylor told Jones-Drew, “I’m willing to teach you if you’re willing to learn and listen.’’ Jones-Drew felt relieved, and he resolved to heed Taylor’s advice.

Their relationship quickly extended beyond football. Taylor showed Jones-Drew around Jacksonville. He gave him advice on how to manage his newfound wealth. When Jones-Drew didn’t have anyone to cook for him, he ate with Taylor’s family. Taylor talked to Jones-Drew about completing his college education.

This offseason, Jones-Drew was in California when he received a text message from Taylor. The contents startled Jones-Drew. “I think they’re going to release me, man,’’ it read. “It’s been a pleasure playing with you.’’

“When he told me that, I was hurt,’’ Jones-Drew said. “Fred was the guy that brought me into this league.’’

As he had always done, Taylor eased Jones-Drew’s concern. “The best thing about Fred was he understood the business side of it,’’ Jones-Drew said. Taylor explained to him the financial ramifications, and that neither player could do anything about it. He told Jones-Drew to call him if he ever needed anything.

Nothing about their friendship changed. They trained together last offseason in South Florida, running hills and pulling sleds. Taylor advised Jones-Drew to work out the same as always. The offseason before Taylor’s first year as a featured back, he increased his regimen and wore himself down.

Jones-Drew kept the same routine, but added small tweaks designed to help his body handle the increased pounding. He started stretching more often, bought his hyperbaric chamber, and began visiting a chiropractor and a masseuse on Mondays and Fridays.

He’s listed at 5-7, but Jones-Drew is “5-6 on a good day,’’ said current Patriot and former UCLA teammate Matthew Slater. His height, though, only serves to deceive. Jones-Drew is short, not small, an important distinction. He is a widebody, “one of the most muscular guys I’ve ever seen in my life,’’ Slater said. He can hide behind behemoth offensive linemen and then blast through tackles. In today’s NFL, Jones-Drew is a phenomenon. No other running back in the league is built quite like him.

But there is a precedent. Asked for a comparison to Jones-Drew, Belichick answered instantly. “Joe Morris,’’ he said. “Joe was 5-7, 5-8, whatever it was. Thick, strong guy, powerful. Joe wasn’t a small guy, just short. I don’t think that Jones-Drew is small. He’s just a shorter player.’’

Belichick, who coached with the Giants for all seven years Morris played in New York, recalled that Morris could squat as much weight as almost anyone on the team. When he watches Jones-Drew, he sees similar lower-body strength, to go with similar vision and speed.

The Patriots know from experience how difficult grounding Jones-Drew can be. When they played the Jaguars on Christmas Eve 2006, they had Jones-Drew pinned down by the line of scrimmage. At least they thought they did. Jones-Drew’s knee just missed the ground, and he sprang up and darted for a 74-yard touchdown.

“You watch film, and his knee is almost touching the ground, but it’s not,’’ Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green said. “You got to wrap up. You can’t tackle him high. All his muscle, all his weight is right there in his legs. You got to really gang tackle. If you don’t, good luck.’’

Jones-Drew has flourished without Taylor, but part of him misses playing with Taylor. They still speak often. Jones-Drew provided Taylor a sounding board as he made his transition to New England, and Taylor asked Jones-Drew about his new son. On Sunday, they will have to wait until after the game to talk.

“It’s going to be exciting,’’ Jones-Drew said. “He’s the guy who molded me into the player I am today. It’s going to be a real emotional thing. It’s going to be fun.’’

Adam Kilgore can be reached at akilgore@globe.com.