The Indianapolis Colts made a surprising pick during the second round of the draft by trading up for Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, but the move is met with some praise.
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Though it is viewed as a luxury pick given the pieces they already have in the backfield, the Colts now have an extremely lethal rushing attack. The pick, which cost the Colts the No. 44 and 160 picks, was listed as a Day 2 steal by Justin Melo of Draft Wire.
Taylor has been one of the most exciting players to watch in all of college football for a number of years now. The fact that the Colts were able to draft him in the second round represents excellent value, regardless of position.
Taylor has the size, speed and physicality to become a complete running back at the next level. A physical runner that refuses to be arm-tackled, Taylor has terrific contact balance. He consistently pushes forward and picks up tough yards after initial contact. He’s also incredibly shifty and elusive for his size.
With the likes of Philip Rivers, T.Y. Hilton, Marlon Mack and Michael Pittman, Jr. on offense, Taylor adds yet another weapon to a sneaky good offense.
Taylor is one of the most productive running back prospects to ever come out of college. He’s fourth on the FBS all-time career rushing yards list (6,174) and scored 50 rushing touchdowns for the Badgers.
There are reasons to question the pick, of course. Taylor has fumbling issues and his 926 career carries at Wisconsin are not all that encouraging when it comes to longevity. However, the talent is clearly there and he’s a strong fit for the offense.
It will be interesting to see how the Colts will use Taylor and Marlon Mack, but the pick is widely being looked at as a positive one and even as a steal by some draft pundits.
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