Latest news with #JonathanTaylor
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colts rookie tagged as ‘overlooked'; can have breakout year
The running back position is one of the most disposable in the game of football. Teams have learned that they can get solid production out of the position without prioritizing investing at the position. There are, of course, exceptions. The Colts are one of those teams to sway slightly from the norm as they will pay two-time Pro Bowl back Jonathan Taylor $11.9 million to be their starter, according to Spotrac. Indy added more bodies at the position this offseason after 2024 proved their depth behind Taylor was lacking. Khalil Herbert signed a one-year deal in free agency as a veteran player who can provide a change of pace and lessen the load on Taylor. The Colts also drafted DJ Giddens out of Kansas State, who's already received buzz as a dark horse candidate to emerge as a reliable piece in Shane Steichen's offense. Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski mentioned Giddens among the rookie running backs he believes are being overlooked this offseason and could surprise in 2025. Sobleski mentioned how the Colts running back play dropped off significantly when Taylor became unavailable due to injury— an occurrence which has become more common in recent years. The 26-year-old has missed 16 games in the last three seasons. But he thinks Giddens is a perfect fit to go along with Taylor. 'A bit of Taylor can be found in DJ Giddens' game. Over the last two seasons, the Kansas State product amassed 3,150 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns. He has a gliding style with breakaway speed,' he writes. 'With the likelihood of Taylor missing at least some time for the fourth straight season…and Giddens providing explosive capabilities out of the backfield, the rookie can be a relatively big part of Indianapolis' offensive plans.' The Colts were excited about Giddens when they drafted him in the fifth round in April. Head coach Shane Steichen likes his combination of a tough play style with versatility. 'The vision, the contact balance, the way he runs—he's a 4.43 (40-yard dash) guy that can catch the ball out of the backfield, is big for our team as well. So, it's a good get.' Of course, Giddens still has to earn his snaps in training camp, beginning July 23. But, there's no denying the league could be in for a rude awakening if the Colts are able to unleash him in their run-heavy offense.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colts offensive playmaker named 2025 MVP candidate
All the attention this offseason in Indianapolis has been focused on the Colts' quarterback situation. As a result, one of Indy's most reliable and consistent playmakers has flown under the radar despite having MVP potential. Given how much Indy is likely to lean on him, Eric Edholm selected running back Jonathan Taylor as the Colts' best MVP candidate in 2025. With Taylor having been Edholm's choice in 2024 as well, he's even more confident in the two-time Pro Bowler to be the guy again. 'Taylor was the Colts' best performer in 2024 -- despite the fact that he missed three weeks early in the season and ultimately posted modest receiving totals,' he writes. 'I feel even stronger about the pick this time around, with the Colts' run game being absolutely critical to achieving the level of team success that would produce an MVP candidate in the first place.' Taylor taking home the ultimate individual prize the NFL offers would be a long shot in today's pass-first era of football. In fact, no running back has won the award since Adrian Peterson in 2012, over a decade ago. The Colts adding Khalil Herbert in free agency and drafting DJ Giddens in the 5th round in April also suggest a lesser work load for Taylor. Still, the former Wisconsin Badger is the Colts most likely choice. The 26-year-old has already led the league in rushing yards once in 2021 (1,811) and posted 1,431 yards in 2024, his best total since that league-leading campaign.
Indianapolis Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Most essential Colts No. 2: Jonathan Taylor remains the engine of the offense
In a salary-cap league like the NFL, finding building blocks is essential. As teams churn and burn the roster through the draft and bargain signings in free agency, it helps to find the players who are either a cut above the rest or can perform a task few others can. They relieve the pressure on everyone. Over the next few weeks, we'll be ranking the 15 most essential players to the Colts' success entering the 2025 season. It's a subjective process, weighing factors such as ability, positional value within a scheme, age, leadership and durability. To make it simpler, we're asking the following two questions about these players: 1. How difficult would he be to replace for more than a month? 2. What does the Colts' ceiling become in 2025 and beyond if this player hits his? Unlike in recent seasons, the pressure appears to be ramping up on what this year's Colts team needs to accomplish. Anthony Richardson enters a critical third season with plenty to prove. The team is under new ownership with Jim Irsay's passing and the transition to his three daughters. And the Colts have now not made the playoffs for four seasons, with no playoff wins in six and no AFC South titles in 10. Thus, these rankings will skew a little more toward 2025 importance than they have in recent seasons. Here's the list so far: 3. Bernhard Raimann, left tackle 4. Braden Smith, right tackle 5. DeForest Buckner, defensive tackle 6. Michael Pittman Jr., wide receiver 7. Charvarius Ward, cornerback 8. Camryn Bynum, safety 9. Quenton Nelson, guard 10. Tyler Warren, tight end 11. Laiatu Latu, defensive end 12. Daniel Jones, quarterback 13. Kenny Moore II, cornerback 14. Zaire Franklin, linebacker 15. Alec Pierce, wide receiver Up at No. 2 is Jonathan Taylor. Position: Running back Age: 26 Experience: 6th season Last year's rank: No. 2 2024 stats: Ran for 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry with 13 starts in 14 games to reach the Pro Bowl. Why he's here: In a Colts offense that keeps a revolving door at quarterback, the upside and floor of the unit has lived through Jonathan Taylor. Ever since he arrived as a second-round pick out of Wisconsin in 2020, Taylor has been the kind of runner who is downright electric when he's on the field. He broke out with 1,169 yards as a rookie and then exploded with 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns as the NFL's rushing champion in 2021, when he dragged an offense with a collapsed passing game to the doorstep of the playoffs. It's been a strange couple of seasons since, as injuries doomed parts of his 2023 season before a contract dispute the next offseason. He stormed back with 1,431 yards, 11 touchdowns and his second Pro Bowl bid last season, though it also featured a few lows along the way. Entering his sixth season, Taylor is pretty established in who he is. He's one of the very best runners in the game, with a 4.9-yard career average and 51 rushing touchdowns in 67 games. No matter how bad the offensive line or passing game around him has been, Taylor has found efficiency and explosion as a rusher. In a league where defensive coordinators can use the math of bodies to take away run games, Taylor's blend of 4.4-second 40-yard dash speed at 226 pounds with superhero vision has found a way to be an exception. He has some knocks in some other areas that are part the life of a running back and also emblematic of a bit of a one-trick player. He's not much of a receiver or pass protector. He's missed 16 games over the past three seasons. And ball security can sometimes escape him, as it most notably did when he dropped the ball while crossing the goal line last season in Denver in a mistake that likely cost the Colts a wildcard playoff spot. It's arguable that those lacking details cap Taylor's ultimate upside, in addition to the position he plays. But not every running back means the same to his team, and Taylor has emerged as the engine of the Colts' scheme and realistic upside as an offense. And they have a very different offense when he plays compared to when he doesn't. Indianapolis put too much on Taylor last season by not adding any depth in the backfield, in addition to such an erratic passing game. This year, he should get more breathers, and if that makes him more available, he'll have more cracks at the explosive runs that are hard to find but so valuable in a passing league. If Taylor can be what he already is as a runner but with better availability and fewer gaffes, he'll be the star of a Colts offense that needs to be a machine in the run game to find success in 2025. It's the best friend imaginable to a developing young passer, and it'll be important if more injuries strike Anthony Richardson and place another run-first quarterback in Daniel Jones on the field. Taylor's only surpassed on this list by the one player who holds the real keys to where this team and franchise are headed, for this season and in the future.
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Outlook at running back for Indianapolis Colts and top 2026 NFL draft prospects
Before training camp arrives, let's take a brief position-by-position look at the 2026 NFL draft through the lens of the Colts. Next are the RBs. Before training camp arrives and we fully turn our focus to the 2025 season for the Indianapolis Colts, let's take a brief look ahead to the 2026 NFL draft, specifically the running back position. To do this, we will be taking a look at who the top prospects are within each position group and what potential need the Colts may have at these positions next offseason. But first, our usual caveat here is that a lot will change between now and the NFL draft. Team needs will change based on how the 2025 season unfolds and what happens in free agency, while prospects will move up and down draft boards. So, instead, use this as a guide for the upcoming college football season and which players to keep your eyes on. What potential need at running back will the Colts have in 2026 NFL draft? At this time, the need here is likely relatively low for the Colts. Jonathan Taylor will still be under contract for one more season, while the Colts also just drafted DJ Giddens. So the team may not be looking for a starter for the 2026 season, but this may still end up being a position we see the Colts adding to in next year's draft. For one, we don't know if Taylor will get a third contract with the Colts, so adding to the room next offseason could better position Indianapolis for the 2027 offseason if a change is made at that time. Also, bolstering the depth in 2026 is another reason to add to this position, with Khalil Herbert and Tyler Goodson both free agents. I'll also point out that--and this isn't the expectation--but if things go sideways for the Colts this season, releasing Taylor next offseason saves the team $13 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, at which point, the need to address running back grows greatly. Who are the top running back prospects in the 2026 NFL draft? PFF's Trevor Sikkema recently ranked the top 10 running backs in the 2026 class. For more on each of these prospects, click here.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analytics Pioneer Klipfolio Strengthens Board of Directors with Appointment of Ed Bryant and Jonathan Taylor as Independent Directors
OTTAWA, ON, July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Klipfolio ( a leading provider of dashboard and analytics software, today announced the appointment of Ed Bryant and Jonathan Taylor as independent directors to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. The appointments bring extensive expertise in technology, finance, marketing, and innovation to support Klipfolio's continued growth. "We are thrilled to welcome Ed and Jonathan to our Board," said Allan Wille, CEO of Klipfolio. "Their deep expertise in M&A, investment banking, world-class marketing, and AI operations will be invaluable as we continue to innovate our product offerings and expand our market reach. Their insights will be crucial in guiding Klipfolio through its next phase of development." Ed Bryant is founder and Managing Director at Sampford Advisors, a leading M&A advisory firm focused on middle-market technology companies in Canada. Prior to founding Sampford in 2015, Mr. Bryant spent 17 years in investment banking with Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank. "I've long admired Klipfolio's commitment to empowering businesses with actionable data," said Ed Bryant. "I look forward to contributing my experience in strategic growth and M&A to help guide the company's trajectory and unlock new opportunities in the dynamic analytics market." Jonathan Taylor is a world-class marketer, innovator, and AI operations expert. He is Principal Consultant at Knowbots, a firm specializing in leveraging AI for marketing and business operations. Jonathan co-founded the popular "Humans of Martech" podcast and brings deep understanding of growth-driving marketing strategies and AI implementation. "How do we close the gap between AI's hype and promise? Klipfolio's vision for the future of analytics excites me because it's pragmatic, grounded in a rock-solid data foundation, and focused on providing businesses with real value," commented Jonathan Taylor. "As a practitioner on the front-lines, I am excited to bring my expertise in marketing, innovation, and AI operations to the board, helping Klipfolio continue to lead in the analytics space." About Klipfolio:Klipfolio is an Ottawa-based company helping businesses make better decisions with data. Its products include Klipfolio Klips dashboard software, PowerMetrics advanced analytics platform, and MetricHQ comprehensive metrics library. Klipfolio is backed by OMERS Ventures, BDC Venture Capital, and Mistral Venture Partners. View original content: SOURCE Klipfolio
