After being ranked as one of the top players under 25 last offseason, Indianapolis Colts running back, Jonathan Taylor, experiences a significant drop.
Last offseason, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor found his name towards the top of several list. People were making the argument that he was the best running back in the NFL, one of the top players under 25, and one of the best players in the NFL in general. All because in his second season in the NFL, Taylor led the league in rushing yards with 1,811 and rushing touchdowns with 18.
However, the lists this offseason aren’t as pleasant to Taylor. A specific list where Jonathan Taylor experienced a significant drop is PFF’s ranking of the top 25 players under 25. Last offseason, Taylor was ranked at No. 3 on this list, trailing only Nick Bosa and Justin Herbert. This year, Taylor is ranked just outside the top 10 at No. 12, dropping nine spots.
Jonathan Taylor ranked as 12th-best player under 25
This isn’t an unexpected drop considering the season that Taylor had in 2023. After dominating the league in 2022, Taylor followed up by only playing in 11 games and rushing for 861 yards and four touchdowns. However, as Trevor Sikkema explained, Taylor’s decline in production wasn’t really his fault. The offensive line significantly regressed, and the Colts offense was just bad all around.
Taylor will turn 25 in January, so this is the last time he’ll be on this list. While he won’t be able to get his name back to the top of under-25 rankings, he should be able to re-establish himself as a top running back in the NFL. Taylor will return healthy next season, and the Colts offense should be much better.
With Shane Steichen taking over as head coach, and Anthony Richardson now at quarterback, the offensive outlook is bright for Indianapolis. However, everything still starts with the offensive line. If the line plays like they did last season, Taylor will have underwhelming production and the offense’s ceiling will be limited.