Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) jogs up the field Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, ahead of a game against the Buffalo Bills at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Pro Bowler Places Colts Superstar Among Best

Originally posted on Indianapolis Colts on SI
By Drake Wally | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The offense of the Indianapolis Colts will need a consistent quarterback to succeed for the 2025 season, but there's one player who will be the engine of Shane Steichen's attack: running back Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor took on an incredible workload in his fifth year with the team, but drastically improved from the previous two years; he didn't eclipse 861 rushing yards (2022). Fast-track to 2024, and Taylor returned to form, notching his second Pro Bowl and looked great with volume.

Taylor should be considered a top 10 running back in the NFL, and on any given game day, can be number one. Heading into a critical 2025 season for the Colts, Taylor fits into elite company approaching his sixth year in the league.

NFL.com analyst and former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew locked Taylor into the seventh overall position in his 2025 RB rankings. Here's what the former three-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro had to say about Taylor's position on his list.

"All eyes are on Indy's quarterback competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. No matter who wins the starting gig, though, the Colts need Taylor to set the tone for the offense if they want to find success in 2025," writes Jones-Drew. "He's performed well with subpar QB play in the past and has the goods to do it again in 2025. I'm not going to doubt him, especially if he's healthy. One thing to keep an eye on is the retooled offensive line."

Taylor took on 303 carries in just 14 games, rushing for 1,431 ground yards and 11 touchdowns. If Taylor played 17 games last year, his carries would have fallen to around 370 with 1,738 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, when considering the averages.

Taylor's usage tallied out to 21.6 attempts per game in 2024, which is impressive. However, Taylor needed help in the backfield and didn't get much in the form of Trey Sermon or Tyler Goodson. This is why the Colts signed Khalil Herbert and drafted DJ Giddens in the fifth round.

Hopefully, this gives Taylor some assistance, so he's not tasked with carrying the entire offense. Taylor has been used immensely in his five-year tenure with Indianapolis, and while it's likely he can do it again, giving opposing defenses different weapons to worry about is key.

The next QB will need Taylor to adjust and thrive in the Colts' offense. Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones can each run the football, so Taylor will be integral in helping the next field general thrive and achieve a better result than last year.

Taylor might have wear and tear, but he is warranted a top 10 spot, and Jones-Drew sees how much of an impact the running back has, not just for Indy, but the NFL as a whole.

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