[lawrence-newsletter]
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today Sports released an article on Friday analyzing the “15 riskiest prospects” in the upcoming NFL Draft and former Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor was included in his list.
“Another player who might have been best fit for a bygone era,” Middlehurst-Schwartz’s analysis of Taylor reads. “At 5-10 and 226 pounds with breakaway speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash) and great instincts, he’s an accomplished ball-carrier who finished sixth all-time in rushing for the Football Bowl Subdivision. It’s the passing game, however, that could trip Taylor up, as he struggled at times as a receiver and didn’t do much as a blocker. Pervasive fumbling issues (18 in 41 career games) also could put him out of favor with his next head coach. So long as he can remain healthy after tallying 968 touches in three years, Taylor will have the chance to prove himself as a dependable back at the next level.”
I would not contend that Taylor’s mileage and problem with ball security create a few question marks surrounding the former Badger as he gets ready to transition to the NFL. If you analyzed his game based on only his first two years, maybe receiving would create one as well.
But after a junior season during which he caught 26 passes for 252 yards and five touchdowns while spending many passing situations on the sideline for Garrett Groshek to receive snaps, it became clear that pass-catching was no longer one of his glaring weaknesses. Is it one of his strengths? Not quite. But after working hard in the offseason to incorporate receiving into his game, he proved during the season that he is more-than-capable of running routes out of the backfield.
This brings me to his pass protection.
As mentioned earlier Taylor was sidelined during many passing downs to give way to a proficient pass-catching running back in Groshek. When he was on the field for passing downs, however, Taylor impressed as a pass blocker and showed that he has all of the tools to successfully block for the quarterback at the next level.
Kyle Crabbs, a senior NFL Draft analyst for TheDraftNetwork.com and lead editor of USA Today’s DolphinsWire wrote when describing Taylor’s pass protection, “Physical. Like how he’s willing to step into contact and he’s dense enough to really bang with free runners off the second level and help buy his quarterback time. Effort level here is strong — effort in stepping forward and embracing contact is a huge plus.”
Other TheDraftNetwork.com analysts echoed this sentiment and listed pass protection as one of Taylor’s strengths as he prepares to enter the NFL.
Furthermore, ProFootballFocus gave Taylor an overall grade of 91.1 for this past season, a rating that incorporates all aspects of his game and one that tops even Melvin Gordon III’s 89.5 from his final season in Madison.
PFF grade in final season at Wisconsin:
🏈 Jonathan Taylor – 91.1
🏈 Melvin Gordon III – 89.5 pic.twitter.com/HXKCdu6yY9— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 9, 2020
Yes, Taylor’s overall mileage may become an issue as well as his ball security, but if an NFL general manager was faced with a decision between the former Badger and another running back without his experience or with an actual history of injuries, do you think he would look at Taylor’s 968 total touches in college and write him off of his draft list? No chance.
Every prospect comes to the NFL with some bust potential. For Taylor, the long list of his strengths outweigh his only weaknesses of mileage and fumbling–no, his glaring weaknesses do not include receiving or pass blocking–and, given how polished he is as a runner and what he was able to do against the nation’s top run defenses week in and week out, the risk presented by his weaknesses is a much smaller one than a history of injuries or a lack of experience would present for some of the other running backs in the draft.
In total, there’s a lot more “boom” potential than there is “bust” potential for Taylor as he heads into the NFL.