Colts' Seth McGowan Making Early Impression in RB2 Competition

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan has had a strong start to training camp.

Indianapolis Colts Seth McGowan (20) runs a drill during Indianapolis Colts Training Camp Family Day on Friday, July 31, 2026, at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ever since Zack Moss departed after the 2023 season, the Indianapolis Colts have been searching for a quality backup to Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor has logged back-to-back seasons with over 300 carries. While Taylor has been incredibly productive and relatively healthy in those years, having such a high workload over a long period will ultimately catch up with the Pro Bowl running back.

The Colts would love to decrease Taylor's workload this season to keep him as fresh as possible throughout the year. That is why the competition for the RB2 spot is one of the more intriguing position battles of training camp, as whoever wins the competition will likely have a bigger role in Indy's offense than in years past.

And a player may be starting to emerge in the battle.

Rookie Seth McGowan, a seventh-round pick out of Kentucky, has had an impressive start to training camp and looks to hold a slight advantage in the RB2 battle with DJ Giddens. Known for his physical running style in college, McGowan has already shown to be a great asset between the tackles. The Colts' coaching staff has been pleased with what they have seen so far.

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan (20) rushes up the field Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, during practice at Colts Camp at Grand Park in Westfield. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"He's had a nice start," offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said about McGowan. "He's put in a bunch of work learning the offense. He's still sort of working on learning every detail of everything, and he's had a couple young-guy hiccups along the way, but that's often to be expected for a rookie.

"He's doing a really nice job of when he gets carries, sort of reading those runs and putting them where they generally should be. He's where he needs to be in the pass game. ... He works really hard and shoot, if he keeps working at this rate, future's bright for him."

While both McGowan and Giddens have had flashes at different points throughout training camp, McGowan has been the more consistent of the two through the first week of action. He has been decisive with his cuts and has a knack for knowing when the blocks will develop.

Giddens missed Tuesday's training camp practice, giving McGowan even more opportunities. He split reps with Taylor with the first-team offense and broke off a couple of runs that resulted in big gains. Quarterback Daniel Jones has certainly taken notice when McGowan has been with the starters.

"I think he's done a good job," Jones remarked. "He’s a – you can tell, a strong, physical runner and not afraid to get his pads down and run through the line. So, he's done a good job, has run hard, and I'm excited to see him play when we get in live action.”

Jones is not the only starter to notice McGowan's strong start to camp. Taylor has also been impressed with what he has seen from the rookie. However, Taylor thinks there is much more to McGowan's game than just power.

Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan (20) participates in a drill on day one of training camp at Grand Park Sports Campus. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Everybody thinks he's just like a big power back, but Seth has some moves," Taylor explained. "If you look at his feet, he reminds me of like a David Montgomery. ... He's not just a power back. He has great feet, great vision. I'm like, Seth has great feet. It's going to be interesting when we're in full live (games) and not just practice situations like how he could put his skills on display.”

While McGowan may hold a slight lead in the competition currently, the battle is far from over. The player who wins the position battle cannot rely on their ability to run the football alone.

Much of who wins the competition will be determined by their ability in pass protection. While Taylor is one of the best running backs in football, pass protection is not one of his strengths. The Colts need a running back who can protect Jones on third down and afford the quarterback extra time to find his receivers downfield.

The running backs will also need to show they can be relied on in the passing game. Both have had some drops through the first week that you would like to see them bring in. It is an area that McGowan and Giddens will need to clean up moving forward.

Whichever running back can prove over the coming weeks that they can provide a spark as a runner while also handling duties in the passing game will end up being Taylor's primary backup. If the current trend continues, McGowan could be looking at a sizeable role in the Colts' offense come Week 1.

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