The former Badger is earning high praise from his NFL teammates
As training camp comes to an end, the Indianapolis Colts have been raving about their second-round pick out of Wisconsin. Former Badger RB Jonathan Taylor is expected to have a major rookie role in a new-look Indianapolis offense. The first-year Colts QB, and NFL veteran, Philip Rivers is already liking what he sees from his rookie tailback.
In fact, Rivers was reminded of a former Chargers teammate when singing Taylor’s praises. In a press conference on Wednesday with Colts media, the former Chargers QB made an interesting comparison.
“Jonathan reminds me a lot of Michael Turner, if y’all remember Michael Turner from the old San Diego days, and then obviously with the Falcons,” Rivers said Wednesday.
When comparing Turner and Taylor, multiple aspects of their game jump out as similarities. Their physical builds are nearly identical with Taylor at 5-foot-10, 226 pounds, and Turner at 5-foot-10, 244 pounds. Neither back was known for their pass-catching prowess, but rather for their rare combination of strength and breakaway speed.
“They’re similar in size, and people forget how fast Michael Turner was, but he could really run,” Rivers said, via the team’s official website. “Same with Jonathan. So they’re similar in that regard.”
So, how did Turner fair in his NFL days? The Northern Illinois product played from 2004-2012, while being named a Pro Bowl selection in 2008 and 2010 with the Falcons. He finished his career with over 7,300 yards rushing and 66 touchdowns, while enjoying an enormous 2008 First-Team All-Pro campaign in which he rushed for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns.
If Taylor could find similar success in Indianapolis, the sky is the limit for a Colts offense that features multiple, explosive playmakers.
