NFL Draft 2020: 13 Biggest Picks You NEED To Know
5. Running Back - Jonathan Taylor
Round 2: Pick 9
It is said with every passing year that the running back position is no longer as valuable as past eras of pro football. As the NFL has transformed into a passing league, gone are the days of Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, and Walter Payton putting the offense on their backs and handling the ball 20+ carries per game.
Well, that's the thought at least. Yet, we have offenses now powered by Ezekiel Elliott, Nick Chubb, and Derrick Henry along with a rushing offense from the Baltimore Ravens that just broke the all time record for yards in a season while securing the #1 seed in the AFC. In the 2020 draft, we had to wait until the very last pick in the first round for a running back to be selected.
Edwards-Helaire is a talented back, yet he won't be the focal point in an offense featuring Patrick Mahomes. DeAndre Swift was considered the top back in the draft but it's hard to invest much stock in a Detroit running back and he will have to compete with Kerryon Johnson for touches. That leaves us with two-time Doak Walker Award winner Jonathan Taylor out of Wisconsin.
The Doak Walker Award is given each year to the nation's best college running back. Taylor is the fourth Wisconsin back to enter the NFL after winning the award and joins Ricky Williams and Darren McFadden as the only players to win the award twice.
The Indianapolis Colts will now plug in Taylor alongside oft-injured Marlon Mack who is entering the last year of his contract. Taylor will have a good chance to step up as the workhorse back that the Colts need in an offense featuring the aging Philip Rivers.