Indianapolis Colts Trade Up to Select Running Back Jonathan Taylor

Moving up three spots at the expense of a fifth-round pick, the Colts add Wisconsin's No. 2 all-time leading rusher in the second round with the 41st overall pick in Friday's NFL draft. Taylor joins fourth-year running back Marlon Mack and a Colts rushing offense that ranked seventh in 2019.

INDIANAPOLIS — A sudden onslaught of adding weapons to the Indianapolis Colts offense continued with the second-round selection of Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor in Friday’s NFL draft.

Not long before Taylor’s arrival, the Colts selected USC wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. with the second round’s second pick, 34th overall.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard liked Taylor, a two-time Doak Walker Award winner and Big Ten Running Back of the Year so much, he traded up three spots with Cleveland to 41st overall to land the Badgers' No. 2 all-time leading rusher. And that’s rare for a GM who has traded down in each of three previous drafts and was fielding offers to do so again.

The Colts had the NFL’s seventh-ranked rushing offense in 2019 with an offensive line that didn’t miss a start and third-year running back Marlon Mack rushing for a career-high 1,091 yards. But Mack has missed six games due to injuries the past two seasons and is entering a contract year. Taylor provides not just long-term security at the position but power to go with speed whereas Mack is more of a speed back.

There’s a lot to like about Taylor, who amassed 6,174 rushing yards in three years including back-to-back seasons over 2,000 yards. The only other FBS back to have two 2,000-yard rushing seasons was Iowa State’s Troy Davis.

Here’s what SI.com analyst Kevin Hanson had to say about Taylor:

"Rushing for more than 6,100 yards and 50 touchdowns in his three-year collegiate career, Taylor has the size, power and speed to break tackles and run away from defenders. While he was more involved as a receiver as a junior, Taylor has had some issues with ball security and handled a massive workload—968 touches—while in Madison."

Here’s what NFL.com wrote about Taylor after he visited Indianapolis for February’s NFL Scouting Combine:

“Taylor's two-year rushing total was third-best in NCAA history, behind fellow star UW back Melvin Gordon and late-1990s Iowa State star Troy Davis. Taylor's speed on the field is evident but he also proved it on the track for the Badgers, running in the Penn Relays and Big Ten Championship meet in the spring of 2019. That quickness helped him reach the goal of back-to-back seasons with 2,000 rushing yards, something only he and Davis have achieved. Taylor won the Doak Walker Award again for his success in 2019, as well as first-team Associated Press All-American and Big Ten Running Back of the Year (and first-team all-conference) honors by gaining 2,003 yards and scoring 21 touchdowns on 320 carries (6.3 per). He also scored five times as a receiver during the season (26 receptions, 252 yards, 9.5 average).”

The trade up cost the Colts their fifth-round pick at 160th overall, but don’t be surprised if Ballard strikes a deal to regain a pick or two. The Colts also have a third-round selection at 75th overall, in the fourth round at 122 and a pair of picks in round six at 193 and 197.