Jonathan Taylor Lands in Surprising Spot on ESPN List
With the accolades that have already come to Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, it's hard to believe he's still just 23-years old.
The third-year back turns 24 in January making him eligible for ESPN's Top 25 Players Under 25 list.
That Taylor made the list is hardly a surprise, but that he checks in at No. 18 is a bit of an eyebrow-raiser. Taylor was No. 5 on NFL's list of ALL players in the preseason.
Linebacker Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys heads the list, and Taylor is the only running back, but his No. 18 ranking speaks to the season he and the Colts have had.
Taylor is the epitome of a modern-day franchise running back, with a blend of power, patience, breakaway speed and soft hands that also make him a threat as a receiver. The league's leading rusher in 2021 (1,811 yards), Taylor has battled injuries in 2022 but is still the cog that makes the Colts' offense run. On 715 career carries, he has averaged 5.1 yards per tote and scored 32 times on the ground. -- Matt Miller, ESPN
Taylor has battled injury for the first time in his career, and the Colts offensive line has woefully underperformed compared to 2021 when Taylor led the NFL with 1,811-yards rushing.
Despite missing three games because of his ankle injury, Taylor is still 10th the NFL in rushing yards. His 86.6-yards per game ranks fifth, but that number is well below the 106.5-yards per game he posted in 2021.
This hasn't been Taylor's (or the Colts') best season so far, but at just 23-years old, Taylor has another year to climb this list.
