Colts RB Jonathan Taylor Ranked 12th on ‘PFF’s Top 25 NFL Players Under 25’ Entering 2023 Season

According to PFF, despite an injury limited 2022 campaign, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is ranked 12th on their annual ‘Top 25 NFL Players under 25’ ahead of the upcoming season:

12. RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Taylor took a step back last season with a 71.5 rushing grade, a far cry from his 90.0 rushing grade in 2021. But much of his lack of production stemmed from things outside of his control. The Colts’ offensive line was poor last year, as was their offense overall. Taylor missed out on the 1,000-yard mark for the first time since his freshman season of high school, but even with the poor offensive line, he still rushed for 861 yards in 11 games — a pace that would have still hit 1,000 yards in a full season. When fully healthy, Taylor is still one of the best young players in the game.

Hampered by a troublesome (and lingering) ankle injury—which ultimately required surgery, the league’s reigning NFL First-Team All-Pro rusher ran for just 861 rushing yards on 192 carries (4.5 ypc. avg.) and 4 rushing touchdowns during 11 starts this past year.

It was a far cry from the 1,811 total rushing yards he ran for on 332 carries—to go along with a whopping 18 rushing touchdowns just a season prior, when he was the NFL’s rushing ‘Triple Crown’ king, leading the league in rushing yards, carries, and touchdowns.

That being said, the fact that Taylor still finished so high in this latest PFF ranking is a testament to just how dominant his 2022 season really was—when he was a bona fide NFL MVP (and Offensive Player of the Year) candidate until the Colts shockingly collapsed late in the year (*although through no fault of his own individual play).

Entering a contract season, Taylor has a lot of incentive to put together a rebound—and monstrous campaign rushing the football again. He should be the focal point of the Colts offense as they ease rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson in behind center.

If fully healthy—namely regarding the surgically repaired ankle, Taylor figures to be one of the best young running backs in football and regain his rushing crown.