NFL Sophomore Watch: Can Jonathan Taylor save the Colts’ season?

Player Comp – Ezekiel Elliott

Watching Taylor run for the Badgers, I was reminded of former Ohio State and current Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot, who was the Big Ten Running Back of the Year in 2015. Both Taylor and Elliot are smaller, compact backs who exhibit equal parts patience and top-end track speed, with the ability to pick up yards after contact. They also both had exemplary rookie seasons in the NFL.

For the Cowboys, Elliot ran for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns, and for the Colts, Jonathan Taylor had 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns. Zeke led the league in rushing his rookie year in 2016, and Taylor was third in rushing yards in 2020 behind only Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook.

But what set them apart in their rookie seasons were their workloads. Ezekiel Elliot racked up 322 carries his rookie year and Taylor only carried the ball 232 times during his first-year campaign.

Much in the same way baseball pitchers are being limited with pitch counts, it seems running backs are being put into timeshares and committees to limit the wear and tear on their bodies. Jonathan Taylor averaged 308.7 carries per year at Wisconsin and is on pace for 272 carries this season.

While Indianapolis might want to limit Taylor’s carries this year, they might not have that luxury, as he’ll be much more efficient running with the ball than the likes of his backups: Jordan Wilkins, Marlon Mack, and Nyheim Hines.