Kansas City Chiefs Laddie Morse

Chiefs YEA or NAY: RB Jonathan Taylor in Round 1

LadnerMorse March 3, 2020 No Comments Gallery

 

Chiefs YEA or NAY: RB Jonathan Taylor in Round 1 – there are many reasons for taking a player at a given position in the draft. In fact, the Kansas City Chiefs General Manager, Brett Veach, has become quite the wheeler dealer. Take the 2019 draft. Only two of his picks, both in the 6th round, were not involved in a trade of some kind.

 

Chiefs 2019 Draft

    • Round One, Pick 29: Frank Clark – Pick Traded to Seattle
    • Round Two, Pick 56: Mecole Hardman – From Chicago (via New England/LA Rams)
    • Round Two, Pick 63: Juan Thornhill – From the Rams
    • Round Three, Pick 84: Khalen Saunders – From Seattle
    • Round Four, Pick 131: Reggie Ragland – Pick Traded to Washington (via Buffalo)
    • Round Five, Pick 167: Traded to Philadelphia.
    • Round Six, Pick 201: Rashad Fenton
    • Round Six, Pick 214: Darwin Thompson
    • Round Seven, Pick: Nick Allegretti – From San Francisco (for Rod Streater)

 

The point is, there’s a good possibility that the Chiefs first pick this year, number 32 overall, will be traded but if they keep it, who’s to say they won’t take a running back. I didn’t think that was possible until the NFL Combine, when, as it usually does, forces a person to go back and watch the tape on a player. In this case, that player is RB Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin and I have come away with more questions about why the Chiefs wouldn’t go ahead and take a RB early, especially if that running back was Jim Brown incarnate. Now, I’m not saying that Taylor is that guy… but… he could be. So, anyone who could be that astoundingly incredible, must be considered. I’ve been saying for some time — mostly since Veach was super impressed with Patrick Mahomes so much that the Chiefs jumped up and took him at #10 overall in the 2017 draft — that if another player came along, at another position who impressed the Chiefs as much as Mahomes impressed them 3 years ago, why wouldn’t they do whatever they can to get him.

 

Fortunately, K.C. may not have to jump up to take Taylor at all… if they decide he’s worth it. He could fall right into their laps. However, that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s first take a look at some of the reasons the Chiefs should… or should not… take him at #32. While I’d love to see Taylor fall into the Chiefs lap at #32, that may not be a possibility. From Sam Marsdale at 247 Sports:

 

“Jonathan Taylor turned a lot of heads at the NFL Scouting Combine when the 5-foot-10, 226 pound running back ran a 4.39 official 40-yard dash…. In his post-combine mock, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report now has Taylor has a first round selection to the Tennessee Titans at the No. 29 overall pick. With Derrick Henry scheduled to be a free agent, this would seem like a very ideal fit for the former Wisconsin star.”

 

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The YEA: Jonathan Taylor has stats to compare with some of the best to ever play the game:

 

 

Taylor ranks 6th all time in rushing yards in NCAA history. The important fact to remember here is… what all five of those RBs in front of him did in 4 seasons, Taylor accomplished in just 3 seasons. Had Taylor stayed for his Senior season, he’d have obliterated that record: he’s only 223 yards behind the all-time leader Ron Dayne.

 

Also, Taylor knows how to find the End Zone – 55 TDs (50 ground, 5 air)

 

The NAY: by averaging 308.6 rushing attempts per year, he could be worn out. 

 

The YEA: Jonathan Taylor is an elite athlete always looking for more ways to improve (and he does… find them, and improve).

In a piece on Jonathan Taylor for Bleacher Report, Adam Kramer says,

 

“… elite athletes are constantly searching for an edge, and Taylor found another one this past offseason in near-100-degree temperatures, [Hot Yoga] forcing his body into uncomfortable new positions… high-intensity workout that pushed his core and balance in ways the football field and weight room never had. So he kept going. Twice a week….”

 

The NAY: Taylor may be elite, but is any RB really worth a 1st round pick?

 

 

The YEA: Taylor eliminates the necessity of replacing Sammy Watkins.

With the other wideouts already on the Chiefs roster (Hill, Hardman, Pringle, Dieter, Kemp, Fortson) those players would be able to make up the mediocre production of Watkins in the regular season. By adding a dynamic RB like Taylor, the emphasis becomes a closer balance between the run and the pass.

 

The NAY: the Chiefs need a WR who can match up and beat Super Bowl level CBs.

 

The YEA: Taylor Provides the Terrell Davis Effect

RB Terrell Davis’ presence late in John Elway’s career was the real reason the Denver Broncos offense were able to produce a more balanced attack an consequently win two Super Bowls in a row. In fact, Terrell Davis was a the MVP in the first season the Broncos won the Lombardi.

 

The NAY: the Chiefs were fine without a dominant running game in 2019 so why change now.

 

The YEA: Taylor has all the attributes Andy Reid and Brett Veach look for in a RB.

Taylor stands 5-foot-10 and 1/4th and weighs 220+ pounds and Veach has said before that this is exactly the size of a player they like. Reid likes his backs to be good receivers and this past season Taylor showed he can catch the ball with the best of them by pulling down 252 yards receiving. When a RB is this size he also has an easier time picking up blitzing LBs.

 

Also, Taylor has over 1,300 yards per year after contact in 2019 (coming from Forced Missed Tackles).

 

The NAY: Darrel Williams can serve all those same attributes. Maybe not the production, but he’s big enough to block for Patty.

 

The YEA: Jonathan Taylor extends the life span of Chiefs RB Damien Williams

Taylor is about the same size as Chiefs starting RB Damien Williams and would give the Chiefs the opportunity to run a, RB-by-committee scheme, which would eventually keep Damien Williams in a Chiefs jersey longer by keeping him off the IR list. Most RBs wear down sooner or later and with Damien Williams turning 28 in April, Taylor keeps him fresh as a daisy.

 

Also, Taylor makes the Chiefs run-pass-option (RPO’s) consistently more potent. Whether it’s Taylor or DWill on the field, opposing defenses will have to respect the run… which in turn, would make the passing game better. Wow, a player who could make Patrick Mahomes better? Is that possible?

 

The NAY: other RBs could do the same for Damien WIlliams. Maybe?

 

The YEA: Taylor’s Speed Kills – 4.39 – 40 yard dash.

The Chiefs are a speed driven team and JT is all about that speed. He also has a huge ypc of 6.7 average (yards per carry) at Wisconsin. I used to rave about Jamaal Charles (6.2 ypc in his three years at Texas) average of  5.4 ypc during his active days in the NFL. JC still leads all modern day rushers who player RB or FB (as back were often called prior to 1970:

 

 

Any time a RB can best JC, even if it was in college, then the Chiefs should sit up and take notice… especially with everything else in consideration.

 

The NAY: the Chiefs don’t need a RB with a huge ypc average since they have Patrick Mahomes.

 

3 Jonathan Taylor Highlights

Let’s take a look at a long TD for Jonathan Taylor. No, he isn’t touched here, but it is reminiscent of DWill’s TD run in the Super Bowl… as well as half a dozen of JC’s TD blasts from the past.

 

 

Here’s a TD where Taylor breaks a couple of shoestring tackles:

 

 

Here’s one that shows Taylor can catch the ball out of the backfield with ease:

 

 

In Closing

What do you think? Sure, Taylor has likely moved himself into the top 20 in this draft, but would you really be upset if he fell to the Chiefs and they selected him at #32?

 

Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

 

 

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