Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Johnathan Taylor was taken at Pick 41 in Round 2 by the Indianapolis Colts and was the third running back off the board. He spent three years at the University of Wisconsin where he ran for 2,003 yards on 320 carries (6.3 yards per carry) and caught 26 passes for 252 yards with 26 total touchdowns during his last year in college.
Athletic Profile
Film Analysis
Running: Jonathon Taylor’s offensive line did a great job from the tape I saw. Taylor was the perfect fit for that Wisconsin offense and proved it by running for over 6000 yards in his career there. He led all running backs at the combine with a 4.39 40 yard dash and it shows on tape. Any play that resulted in a foot race, Taylor won and normally that meant taking it to the house for a huge play. He was able to turn lots of plays into a foot race by running with excellent tempo control. His ability to see the next level of the field is great and it allows him to manipulate defenders before they even come within five yards of him. However, when the blocking isn’t there I have some major concerns. His patience and vision behind a crowded line of scrimmage is questionable as I saw him put his head down early into runs without being able to push the pile. He’s a fluid runner, but he lacks strength and it doesn’t take much for defenders to take him down. Pair that with his inability to make defenders miss in tight spaces and his 15 fumbles over three years and that’s why he is my RB4 from my film study.
Receiving: Taylor flashed solid hands out of the backfield. He’s a guy that teams will want to get in space to utilize his speed and vision and the screen game is the best way to do that. This will definitely translate at the next level and Taylor will be feared by defenses whenever they see him with a team of blockers out in front. He’s no slouch out wide either and that versatility is going to serve him well day one.
Pass Blocking: His strength is questionable, but he does a solid job cutting out the legs from blitzing linebackers which negates any strength difference. His pass blocking isn’t a liability and that means his usage as a passing down back should be high from day one so that teams can take advantage of his home-run hitting play style.
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Landing Spot Reaction
Well, outside of the Kansas City Chiefs, the Indianapolis Colts might be the best landing spot for a running back. Their motto is “Run the Damn Ball”, and that is exactly what they did with Brissett at quarterback last year. They finished fifth in rushing attempts while having the 12th ranked offensive line in terms of run blocking. Taylor is going to come in and share the load with oft-injured running back Marlon Mack, who missed eight games over the past two years. With new quarterback Phillip Rivers at the helm, Taylor may be in line for an Austin Ekeler-esque opportunity when it comes to receiving work, putting his ceiling as a high-end RB1 in his rookie year. Ekeler saw 108 targets from Rivers last year and Talyor will be just as popular of a target to go along with a much better offensive line.
There were reports earlier in the year that Marlon Mack was getting a contract extension but in late February, GM Jim Irsay refuted those reports and now drafted Mack’s replacement in round two of the draft. Mack already had a hard time staying on the field and now it looks like his opportunity share will be taking a huge hit. Odds are he isn’t even with the team in 2021. Nyheim Hines was a late round dynasty startup sleeper due to Rivers dump off tendencies, but those dreams are shattered and this sleeper is worthless in dynasty. Rivers is at the end of his career and wasn’t fantasy relevant last year, but adding a back with Taylor’s ability to take a dump off to house will increase his value slightly as he now be a bye week fill-in.
Dynasty Draft Projection
Jonathan Taylor was my RB4 in the class, but it wasn’t by much and he is viewed as the top back by many. Going to the Colts doesn’t change my valuation of him, so you’ll need a top five pick in this rookie draft in order to draft him. The combination of his elite speed and vision, plus the opportunities offered by the Colts game plan and their offensive line play, will see Taylor being drafted as high as the number one pick in some leagues. I wouldn’t argue with someone for doing so.
Draft Night-Where would I take him in a dynasty draft? Did he move in my rankings?Thanks for reading and stay tuned to Dynasty Football Factory for all your NFL Draft night coverage. Follow me on Twitter @DFF_JoeMem to join in on the draft conversation!
