Last year after having two consecutive 2000 yard seasons, Jonathan Taylor often played against a box with more than eight defenders. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fourth-best running back in college football last season playing against a stacked box, with a PFF grade of 84.7.
Taylor finished only behind AJ Dillon, Zack Moss, and Jonathan Ward in these rankings. All four of these running backs had over 1000 yards last season, including Taylor who cleared 2000 yards for the third time in his career at Wisconsin. AJ Dillon, who led the group with a grade of 87.6, was drafted in the 2nd round by the Green Bay Packers.
This high grade from PFF lends credit to Taylor’s ability as a runner beyond just having one of the best offensive lines in college football. This stat should clear any doubt from NFL fans about if Jonathan Taylor’s game can translate to the NFL, and shows that his college numbers were earned.
Highest-graded RBs against 8+ defenders in the box last season💪
1. AJ Dillon – 87.6
2. Zack Moss – 86.0
3. Jonathan Ward – 85.2
4. Jonathan Taylor – 84.7 pic.twitter.com/nWJToiazoI— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 15, 2020