The 2020 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Jonathan Taylor 2020 NFL Draft profile.
Background
Position:Â Running Back
Size:Â 5-foot-11, 226 pounds
Class:Â Junior
2019 stats:Â 320 rushing attempts, 2,003 rushing yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 21 rushing touchdowns, 26 receptions, 252 receiving yards, 5 touchdown catches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u16nPCwljRc
Taylor entered Wisconsin as a four-star recruit and made an impact immediately. After three seasons of great production, Taylor is one of the best running backs in the 2020 NFL Draft.
As a freshman in 2017, Taylor had one of the best seasons for a newcomer in history. He finished the season with 1,977 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. The Badgers won 13 games that season, including the Orange Bowl over Miami. His sophomore season saw him rush for 2,194 yards and 16 touchdowns. Wisconsin won eight games behind Taylor’s rushing ability and capped off the year with a win over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl. In his final college season, Taylor rushed for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns. Taylor helped lead the team to a 10-win season and a Rose Bowl appearance.
He left Wisconsin after only three seasons as one of the most productive players in college football history. Taylor is in contention to be the first running back selected, which could be as early as the backend of the first round.
Strengths
Taylor has great vision, which helps him find and hit the right hole on a consistent basis. He gives his blockers enough time to set up and when space opens up he finds the right spot to run. This starts at the line of scrimmage and extends into the second level of the defense.
He has a good amount of power. At 226 pounds, he is a well-built running back. Taylor runs hard and is able to run through arm tackles. He breaks his fair share of tackles because he has tremendous strength starting from his legs upward.
While Wisconsin has the stigma of producing plodding running backs, Taylor has great long speed. He is a former track athlete and once he gets going, he can run well, especially for a running back his size. His straight-line speed will help him hit holes faster and create big plays.
Weaknesses
His biggest weakness is his ball security. He had 18 fumbles in three season at Wisconsin. While he did carry the ball a lot, that is an unacceptable number. The team that selects Taylor will need to work with him on keeping the ball high and tight so that he doesn’t turn it over.
He has straight-line speed, but Taylor is not great at changing direction. His one-cut juke does well, but his momentum slows down way too much when he has to change which way he is going. This could mean he needs a good offensive line to open up the holes for him to be a consistently reliable running back.
Taylor is a limited receiver out of the backfield. He improved in this aspect as a junior, but he still has a long way to develop. His route-running was ok, but he may not be able to separate at the next level because of his lack of agility. Taylor did have some drops as well.
Projected Draft Range:Â First Round Pick-Third Round Pick
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