In the world of NFL and fantasy football, there is one position that rules supreme over all others. Running backs!! Running backs are highly sought after and finding a stud who can be a dominant force in the league is at a premium. Every year there is a handful of RB's that enter the draft and fantasy football owners are watching closely to see where they end up. Being a first-round NFL draft pick can be the sign of a sure-fire star in the making. This year's running back stud coming out of college was Saquon Barkley. He was drafted 2nd overall by the NY Giants and after week one is already looking like the real deal. College football is already in full swing and next years big stud RB prospect might already be staking his claim to the throne. Johnathon Taylor from Wisconsin has been showing the football world why he might be the next Heisman winner and potentially make a big splash in the NFL.
Johnathon Taylor has been putting up elite numbers through two games this year with the Wisconsin Badgers. He has piled up an eye-popping 398 yards and 5 touchdowns and is on the fast track to a second consecutive Heisman nomination. He finished 6th in the voting last year behind winner Baker Mayfield. New NFL star Saquon Barkley finished 4th and Stanford standout Bryce Love finished 2nd. This is some pretty elite company for Taylor and the feat was made even more impressive by the fact that he was a true freshman last year.
I have personally been intrigued by Taylor since he burst onto the scene last year with over 200 yards and 3 TD's in only his second game. This was the beginning of a season that would see him compile almost 2000 rushing yards and 13 TDs. Those are amazing stats for a freshman in college. In fact, his ascension to the role of lead back in Wisconsin was an unexpected one. He started his collegiate career buried on the Wisconsin depth chart but his play through camp made it impossible for coaches to keep him out of the game. He was named the starter to begin last season and it was full speed ahead. Taylor has not looked back since. His numbers are already bringing him accolades that match some pretty big names in the world of running backs.
On October 21, 2017, Taylor reached the 1,000 yard rushing mark in his 7th game, matching the FBS freshman record for fewest games needed to record 1,000 yards. He joins Florida's Emmitt Smith (1987), San Diego State's Marshall Faulk (1991), Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson (2004), North Texas' Jamario Thomas (2004) and Wisconsin's P. J. Hill (Source)
Some might say it is too soon to start singing Heisman Trophy praises but that is exactly where I see Taylor's season heading. In December, I think we will be looking at some jaw-dropping numbers and another Heisman nomination. Winning the distinguished award is very possible and to be perfectly honest, I think the only thing standing between him and the award is an injury. Let's hope that doesn't happen. I really can't wait to see where his totals end up. I know that he can't keep the torrid pace that he is currently on but 2500 yards and close to 20 touchdowns are not impossible. If there is one thing that I would like to see more of in Taylor's game it would be for him to be more involved in the passing game. He currently has zero catches this season and did not post big numbers in that area last year. The big question in the new year will be if he decides to enter the NFL draft or go back to Wisconsin for another year, something Bryce Love did this year.
This time next year some NFL team could be unveiling a shiny new toy at the running back position and we could be seeing another great rookie performance like we saw with Barkley. As a football fan and someone who loves RB's, I will be watching Johnathon Taylor's progress very closely. Wisconsin is currently ranked #5 in the country and will all but be assured a big bowl game. There will be plenty of opportunities for Taylor to show off his talent and carve out his road to greatness. Keep your eye on this future stud!!!
@broncofan99
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