Colts trade up to draft Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor
INDIANAPOLIS -- New Colts quarterback Philip Rivers will have another threat out of the backfield to turn to next season.
The Colts jumped three spots in the 2020 NFL draft to add to what was a top-10 rushing offense last season when they selected Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor in the second round with the No. 41 overall pick. The Colts, who did not have a first-round pick Thursday, gave the Cleveland Browns the 44th and 160th overall picks to move up to select Taylor.
"I think the biggest thing is, I'm excited," Taylor said. "They traded up, so they're excited and feel I can be a special player in the organization. I'm somebody who is going to come and soak up every bit of information and try and learn as much as possible, so if and when my number is called, I can get in and do my job and do it at a high level."
Taylor joins a backfield that features 1,000-yard rusher Marlon Mack (1,091 yards), Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines. That group helped the Colts finish seventh in the league in rushing while running behind one of the best offensive lines that's led by Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson.
Taylor rushed for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns last season at Wisconsin. His 12 career games with at least 200 yards rushing are the most by any player in Football Bowl Subdivision history. Taylor is the highest running back selected by the Colts since they picked Donald Brown with the 27th overall pick in 2009.
"They're getting a tough back able to run in between the tackles, but also has a track background and able to hit the edge and take one the distance," Taylor said. "I think that's the biggest thing, you have a guy who can run well inside and also be able to hit the edge. That's hard to defend."
Holding on to the ball was an area in which Taylor struggled in college, losing 15 of his 18 fumbles at Wisconsin. Colts running back coach Tom Rathman puts ball security at a premium. He fumbled only seven times in nearly 900 touches during his NFL playing career.
"There's definitely a lot you can do [to stop fumbling]," Taylor said. "A bulk of them came from freshman year. Going and trying to progress from that. There are a lot of things you work on so you try and not let it happen, but there's definitely hard work that needs to go in each and every single day in order to make sure that's shored up."
Colts general manager Chris Ballard is making a concerted effort to give Rivers, who signed a one-year contract with the Colts in March after spending his first 16 years in the league with the Chargers, as many offensive weapons as possible at his disposal.
The Colts used their first pick of the second round -- No. 34 -- on USC receiver Michael Pittman Jr. He was one of four receivers in the FBS with at least 100 receptions last season when he finished with 101 catches for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns.
"Getting a chance to play with a legendary quarterback like Philip Rivers, I'm definitely going to be ready to go, learning a plethora of routes, a plethora of protections to make sure if and when Mr. Rivers needs me I'm there, I'm ready to go," Taylor said.
