Five years in, Jonathan Taylor has already cemented himself as one of the best running backs in Colts franchise history.
The Indianapolis Colts selected star workhorse Jonathan Taylor with the 41st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, which was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in a ‘Day 2’ trade.
In that slight trade up, the Colts traded the 44th pick and the 160th pick to the Browns in order to ensure they secured Taylor over the rumored to be interested divisional rival Jacksonville Jaguars, who ended up taking wide receiver Laviska Shenault.
Picks 44 and 160 didn’t turn into much for the Browns.
After late team owner Jim Irsay gave the team’s top brass the ‘nudge’ to trade up and get the potential franchise back they clearly coveted, Indianapolis presumably has no regrets.
Featuring a unique speed-power combination and a workhorse mentality, Taylor has transformed into one of the best backs in all of football with the Colts, becoming a First-Team All-Pro, 2x NFL Pro Bowler, NFL rushing yards leader, and NFL touchdowns leader.
In the past 5 years, he has run for 6,013 total rushing yards on 1,228 carries to go along with his 51 rushing touchdowns during 67 games (61 starts). Those 6,013 total rushing yards trail only former Tennessee Titan, now Baltimore Raven running back (and future First-Ballot Hall of Famer) Derrick Henry (7,590) during that same 5-year span.
While there was the rather contentious 2023 offseason holdout, after Taylor and the Colts were in a contract standoff, with the former even requesting a trade, the two sides were able to reconcile—after Indianapolis inked Taylor to a 3-year, $42 million contract extension.
Fully healthy again this season, Taylor rebounded with another highly productive Pro Bowl campaign, rushing for 1,431 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns on 303 carries (4.7 ypc. avg.).
He remains one of the NFL’s elite backs and has quickly joined Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, and Edgerrin James among the greatest running backs in Colts franchise history.