Wisconsin Badger great Jonathan Taylor did not wait long during day two of the 2020 NFL Draft to hear his name called as he was taken No. 41 overall by the Indianapolis Colts
Taylor ended up being the third running back off the board after LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire went to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 32 overall and Georgia’s D’Andre Swift went No. 35 overall to the Detroit Lions.
Team fits for running backs are best analyzed through looking at four main areas of the football team they are joining: quarterback, coach, offensive line and the team’s track record at the position.
Here is how Taylor fits with head coach Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts.
Quarterback
The Colts will enter 2020 with the 38-year-old Philip Rivers as their starting quarterback.
Looking at it from a one-year lens, Rivers will have a positive impact on the overall offensive produce and therefore will help Taylor’s production in his rookie season. Looking further into Taylor’s future though, the Colts do not have a set plan at quarterback aside from the possibility that Jacoby Brissett returns to start for Indy after Rivers retires.
In total the quarterback situation is a good one for Taylor to at least start his career. After Rivers retires? Who knows. But you have to believe the Colts will be looking for a succession plan before it’s too late.
Grade: B
Coach:
Frank Reich came to the Colts after being the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles in 2017.
Despite losing All-Pro quarterback Andrew Luck to retirement before the 2019 season Reich has done an impressive job at the helm in Indy and has the team moving in the right direction.
Now that the team has found a solution at quarterback, at least for a year or two, I expect Reich’s ability as a coach to be fully recognized as the Colts continue to rise in a poor AFC South.
Grade: B+
Offensive Line:
This is the best possible spot for Taylor to land in terms of the offensive line.
ProFootballFocus ranked the Colts’ line as the third-best in the NFL in 2019 behind only the Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens, both teams who did not need a running back in this year’s draft.
Quenton Nelson makes you appreciate OL play even more.
Stud. pic.twitter.com/73VQpF1AfU
— Jordan Reid (@JReidNFL) July 16, 2019
You put Taylor behind All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and that offensive line? Shades of his time in Madison all year long.
Grade: A+
Other factors (backfield help, offensive scheme, history at running back):
One of the most positive things about Taylor’s fit with the Colts is the presence of Marlon Mack in the backfield.
It’s no secret that the former Badger is entering the NFL with a lot of tread on his tires. Mack being on the team as a more-than-capable third-down back and a guy who can consistently spell Taylor is great news for his career.
In terms of the offensive scheme and the Colts’ history at running back, they haven’t had a back like Taylor since Edgerrin James left in 2005. In last few years they’ve had Mack and Nyheim Hines leading the backfield, guys whose skillsets do not come close to that of Taylor.
I expect that with a veteran Rivers under center and with the talent the team has up front on the offensive line they will find a great way to utilize Taylor’s ability while also managing his workload and keeping him healthy.
Grade: A-
Overall the Colts are a fantastic fit for Taylor and represent a near-perfect situation for him to begin his NFL career. If the team still had Luck under center it would be a no-doubt A+ fit. But compared to some of the other options for Taylor heading into the draft it is definitely a great outcome for the former Badger and points towards an extremely-productive NFL career.
Overall Grade: A-