On the first of three Jonathan Taylor touchdown runs against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7, Indianapolis Colts’ center Tanor Bortolini initially chipped a defensive lineman. That helped right guard Matt Goncalves easily remove the first defender in Taylor’s way.
Then, the Colts’ second-year center moved up field and plowed a linebacker out of the way, thus removing the second possible tackler. That’s all a back like Taylor needs. 24 yards later, he was in the end zone and the Colts were on their way to their sixth win in seven games.
Bortolini was far from done. On Taylor’s final TD run, the center again drove a Chargers' lineman off the line, leaving another gaping hole for Taylor. The back was barely touched before reaching the end zone.
Tanor Bortolini is at the center of the Indianapolis Colts’ dominant offensive line
Taylor, Daniel Jones, Shane Steichen – all the men getting deserved credit for Indy’s magnificent offensive production in the early part of 2025 – are all quick to point out that everything begins with the big guys up front.
And on a team with acknowledged studs like Quenton Nelson and Bernhard Raimann, you could make the case that no one has played bigger than the former Wisconsin star Tanor Bortolini.
Chris Ballard chose Bortolini in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. He was the third true center taken. At Wisconsin, he had played all over the line, and had inherited the center spot from the highly decorated Joe Tippman. (Tippman was a second-round pick in 2023 and now is suffering at guard in the purgatory known as the New York Jets.)
When choosing a college, Bortolini considered offers from multiple Ivy League schools before electing to stay home and become a Badger. He showed remarkable intelligence and exceptional agility, but was not the biggest or most powerful lineman on the draft board.
Pass protection – especially zone blocking schemes in which he would pick up stunts and twists were his strength. Straight-ahead drive blocking was more of a concern.
Bortolini may not have the massive size and physique of Tippman, or John Michael Schmitz and Graham Barton – recent draftees with a higher ranking upon entering the league. But in his second season, he is playing better than all of them.
Bortolini got some valuable experience as a rookie filling in for Ryan Kelly when the longtime Colts’ standout center was injured for part of 2024. When Kelly left via free agency this offseason, the second-year player got the job.
He entered the Chargers' game ranked second out of all centers in the NFL according to the Pro Football Focus (subscription required) grading system. Bortolini was just a hair behind 2024 first team All Pro Creed Humphrey of Kansas City,
Watching him against the Chargers confirmed that lofty status. For much of the game, Bortolini was lined up against Los Angeles’ powerhouse Teair Tart. According to those same PFF grades, Tart is currently the top-rated interior lineman in the entire NFL. To be sure, the Charger made a few nice plays. But for the most part, Bortolini and his fellow lineman dominated the Chargers' front.
Jim Harbaugh’s defense came into the game giving up 301 yards per game. The Colts ran up 401 yards against them. Indy posted an exceptional 6.9 yards-per-play against a team that entered the game surrendering 5.1 yards-per-play.
Had they needed to, it appeared that the Colts could have scored at will.
Bortolini does not look dominant. In pass protection, there is an effortlessness that belies just how effective he is. He often doesn’t even look like he is moving, but rarely does a pass rusher get around him, or even get much penetration. His feet and body control are excellent.
The best center I ever saw, Miami’s Hall of Famer Dwight Stevenson, had similar technique. He often looked like he could be perusing the Sunday paper with one hand, while effortlessly holding off some 320 pound behemoth with his other hand. Bortolini may not be at that level just yet, but he’s on his way.
That same combination of sound technique and agile feet have made him one of the highest-rated run blockers in the league. He may not overpower defenders, but Jonathan Taylor has had holes in the middle of the line all year. Obviously, the man standing in the middle is doing something right.
Bortolini gets a lot of help. Playing alongside Nelson is a great gift for any young center. Indy’s entire line is playing at high level. Though he was a key contributor on Taylor’s first and last touchdown runs against the Chargers, he barely had to do anything on the back’s middle TD. That was a sweep on which Bortolini did not pull. The tight ends and wide receivers took care of the blocking on that play.
On the 2025 Indianapolis Colts, everyone blocks. Through seven games, no one is doing it better than their 23-year-old center. The future looks very bright.