Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor Bio

Jonathan Taylor (born January 19, 1999) is an American professional football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played high school football at Salem High School, where he set a New Jersey state rushing yards record. He played three seasons of college football for the Wisconsin Badgers, finishing his college career as the sixth all-time rusher in the NCAA and became the first player in FBS history to rush for more than 6,000 yards in any three-year span. Taylor finished in the top ten of Heisman Trophy voting three times, was named a unanimous first-team All-American, and was a recipient of the Doak Walker Award in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He was selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. In 2021, Taylor led the NFL in both rushing yards and touchdowns, becoming a unanimous All-Pro and Pro Bowler in the same season.

Early Life and Background

Jonathan Taylor was born in Salem, New Jersey, to Elizabeth Taylor and Jonathan James. His father played basketball for San Francisco State from 1982 to 1986. Taylor attended Salem High School, where he amassed 4,642 rushing yards and 51 touchdowns. As a senior, he set the New Jersey record with 2,815 rushing yards, which had been held by former Wisconsin Badgers running back Corey Clement. In his senior season, Taylor averaged 234.6 yards a game, rushing for 35 touchdowns and scoring 37 total, and was honored with the Jim Henry Award as the high school area player of the year for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Taylor was also an accomplished performer in track and field, winning two state titles in the 100-meter dash, with his best time being 10.49 seconds. Taylor was rated as a three-star prospect and the 24th-highest ranked running back in the class of 2017. He committed to play college football at Rutgers University but later changed his commitment to the University of Wisconsin–Madison on November 1, 2016.

Path to American Football

After fall camp in 2017, Taylor opened his freshman year at Wisconsin as one of the team’s starting running backs alongside Bradrick Shaw and Chris James. In his first collegiate game against Utah State, he had nine carries for 87 yards and a touchdown in a 59–10 win at home. In his second game against Florida Atlantic, Taylor ran the ball 26 times for 223 yards and a season-high three rushing touchdowns in a 31–14 win. After his fifth game of the season, in which he ran 25 carries for a season-high 249 yards in a 38–17 road victory against Nebraska, he entered the Heisman Trophy conversation and was routinely listed among the top-five Heisman candidates. The following game against Purdue, Taylor had 30 carries for 219 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 17–9 victory. On October 21, 2017, in his seventh collegiate game, Taylor reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark, tying the FBS freshman record for fewest games to reach 1,000 yards. Taylor finished his freshman season with 1,977 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, finishing second all-time in rushing yards among FBS freshmen. He helped the Badgers to a school-record-setting 13 wins, an appearance in the 2017 Big Ten Championship Game, and a 34–24 victory over Miami (FL) in the Orange Bowl.

Jonathan Taylor Career

Early Career (2020)

Jonathan Taylor was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft with the 41st pick by the Indianapolis Colts. He was named the Colts’ backup running back to starter Marlon Mack at the start of the season. Taylor made his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 2020 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he had nine rushing attempts for 22 rushing yards and six receptions for 67 receiving yards. Following an injury to Mack, Taylor became the starting running back for the remainder of the season. He had a career game in Week 17, picking up 253 yards and two touchdowns, which tied for ninth all-time rushing yards in a game. He finished the regular season with 1,169 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Breakthrough (2021)

Taylor was named the starting running back for the Colts to start the 2021 season. He had a breakout year, leading the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Taylor was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for December 2020 and continued his success into the 2021 season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and was named a unanimous first-team All-Pro. Taylor finished the season with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, leading the league in both categories. He was also the recipient of the Bert Bell Award.

Notable Works and Milestones

Jonathan Taylor’s signature work includes his remarkable 2021 season, where he led the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns, earning him multiple accolades including the First-team All-Pro designation and three Pro Bowl selections.

Jonathan Taylor Award Nominations

Throughout his career, Jonathan Taylor has received numerous nominations, particularly for his outstanding performances during his college years and his early professional career.

Jonathan Taylor Awards Won

Jonathan Taylor has won several prestigious awards, including the Doak Walker Award in both 2018 and 2019, recognizing him as the top running back in college football. He also won the Bert Bell Award in 2021 for his exceptional performance in the NFL.