The Kansas City Chiefs are atop the AFC West and are on track to be a contender in the playoffs. With that being said, it is never too early to look ahead to the future and the Chiefs should already be targeting Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor in the 2020 NFL Draft.
When speaking about Kansas City's roster, everyone immediately mentions the offense and its copious amount of weapons. With Patrick Mahomes under center throwing to Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman, and Sammy Watkins (when he's healthy), the offense is nearly unstoppable.
However, as good as the aerial attack is, Kansas City has shown an inability to take control of a game on the ground. Come playoff time, teams have to be able to run the ball effectively to control the time of possession.
This year, the Chiefs have deployed a backfield that features LeSean McCoy, Damien Williams, and Darrel Williams. All of them have had spurts of success in Andy Reid's dynamic offense. But none of them have consistently shown to be reliable down the stretch.
While McCoy has likely been the most useful, he is no longer the running back he once was. As for the two Williams, they both have averaged only 3.7 yards per attempt.
Altogether, Kansas City has averaged only 94.4 rushing yards per game (22nd in the NFL). Therefore, the Chiefs should have Taylor on their radar in next year's draft.
The junior running back for Wisconsin has rushed for 1,463 yards on 233 attempts and 17 touchdowns. Taylor has also flashed some potential as a receiver with 20 receptions, 162 yards, and four receiving touchdowns.
Over his three seasons in college, Taylor has contributed a total of 5,634 rushing yards and 4o touchdowns. As a matter of fact, Taylor has set an FBS record for rushing yards in a player's first three seasons.
With Taylor being a junior, there's a chance that he chooses to return to Wisconsin for his senior season. But knowing his projected draft stock, the versatile running back will likely decide to enter the NFL Draft.
Currently, the Chiefs have a 7-4 record and are slated to have the 27th overall pick in the first round. There are going to be other teams in search of a running back, making it possible that Taylor is taken ahead of Kansas City's first selection.
The addition of Taylor would finally give Mahomes a reliable running back to hand the ball to late in games. Without a doubt, Kansas City's offense would be even more dangerous with a weapon like Taylor.
Follow Us
Subscribe