ESPN predicts former College Football star will back up Jonathan Taylor this season

The lion's share of offseason moves have been made, and now it's time to look ahead to the action. The Indianapolis Colts are in the middle of OTAs, and next up is training camp. Until the real deal begins in the preseason, die-hard fans are on the edge of their seats for any and all content they can get right now.

Because it's only the beginning of summer, there are plenty of projections, predictions and hypotheticals to be made. That's the best fans can hope for, some days.

When it comes to the Colts, a lot of starting jobs are already secured, but we can have fun trying to figure out how the depth will shake out.

In his latest season-long projections, ESPN's Mike Clay took a bit of a shot in the dark and listed Trey Sermon as Jonathan Taylor's primary backup for the year, giving Sermon 76 carries for 328 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

If this projection is correct, it will have been worth the wait for Trey Sermon

Sermon's pro career began a bit slow, as he was a third-round pick by the 49ers and only saw 41 attempts his rookie year. Then, he spent the 2022 season with the Eagles, where he made an appearance in just two games.

Last year, though, Sermon was forced into action and ran pretty well on a limited basis, going for 160 yards on 35 carries. Did the Colts see enough to warrant placing Sermon behind Taylor as the second string running back?

If you trust some of the more well-known outlets for rosters and depth charts, such as Ourlads, Sermon currently sits fourth on the depth chart behind Taylor, Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson. However, there is plenty of time for Sermon to stake his case and finally take on a significant role as a pro player.

Before transferring to Ohio State for his final collegiate season, Sermon had rushed for over 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns at Oklahoma. Then, in 2020 with the Buckeyes, Sermon averaged a career-high 7.5 yards per carry, going for 870 yards on 116 carries.

After being drafted in the third round by San Francisco and within a Kyle Shanahan offense, many believed Sermon could wind up being a prominent back in this league. Yet, that didn't happen. Now entering Year 4, the former Buckeye and Sooner has an opportunity to make Indy his home.