Anonymous executive thinks Colts’ Jonathan Taylor selection wasn’t the best move

The Indianapolis Colts had one of the best drafts in the league according to numerous people in the business, but this anonymous executive was apparently not one of them.

In a recent article published by Mike Sando of The Athletic, an executive who did not provide his name or affiliation said he was “shocked” when Colts general manager Chris Ballard traded up in front of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to grab running back Jonathan Taylor in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft last week.

“Trading up for the back like that shocked me,” the executive said. “He bounces stuff outside a lot. He is a big guy that runs fast, but he doesn’t play big and he fumbles.”

While that executive might be right when he says that Taylor has a history of giving up the football, he is going to be splitting time with Marlon Mack, which means he won’t have to be tasked with carrying the load on every snap like he did as the star running back at the University of Wisconsin.

The Colts took Jonathan Taylor partly because of his ability to get out into the open field with third down potential.

At Wisconsin in his senior year, he led the Big Ten in yards from scrimmage (2,225), touchdowns from scrimmage (26), rushing touchdowns (21), and points (156), in addition to taking home the 2018 and 2019 Doak Walker awards for the top running back in the nation.

While Taylor has some serious mileage already coming into the NFL, he is in the perfect situation with head coach Frank Reich, longtime Chargers and new Colts quarterback Philip Rivers, and the first half of the best 1-2 punch in the game, Marlon Mack.