When a Jonathan Taylor trade failed to materialize before the 53-man roster deadline, the Indianapolis Colts put the running back on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, meaning he will now miss at least the first four games of the 2023 NFL season. So, with Taylor out, who is the Colts starting running back? It’s time to meet Deon Jackson.

Who is Deon Jackson? He’s the Colts starting running back after a Jonathan Taylor trade fell through

No matter what you think about the Jonathan Taylor trade situation, the truth is that at his best, Taylor is one of the best two or three RBs in the NFL. He proved that in 2021 when he led the league in carries, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, rushing yards per game, yards from scrimmage, and total touchdowns.

With Taylor now out for the first four games and possibly longer, it’s next man up time in Indy, and the team has to roll out a new starting RB. That player now seems like it will be Deon Jackson.

Jackson is one of three backs currently on the Colts' 53-man roster along with Zack Moss, who the team got in. trade for Nyheim Hines last season, and 2023 fifth-round pick out of Northwestern, Evan Hull.

Moss is recovering from a broken arm, and while he should be available in Week 1, he’s not a starting RB. Hull is intriguing, but he’s still a rookie, and fellow first-year, quarterback Anthony Richardson, needs someone a little more experienced by his side, especially on passing downs.

That leaves Jackson as the team’s likely starter.

Deon Jackson is a 6-foot, 220-pound, 24-year-old back who was an undrafted free agent back out of Duke. The RB has been with the Colts since he came into the league in 2021. All told he has 81 career carries, 267 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 30 catches, 209 receiving yards, and one touchdown catch.

In 2022, while Taylor struggled with injuries, Jackson saw more action. In a Week 6 start vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, the young runner finished with 12 rushes for 42 yards and 10 catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns, one each way.

At Duke, Jackson played four seasons for the Blue Devils, racking up 2,267 rushing yards on 526 carries and adding 61 catches for 534 yards and 22 total touchdowns. His NFL.com scouting profile noted that he is a versatile, well-rounded back who needs work in specific areas.

“Tough, sturdy runner with the size and demeanor of an NFL running back. Jackson is well-versed with inside/outside zone, combining quality reads with decisiveness and physicality through the line of scrimmage,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. “He runs with tempo and generally makes reads that get the ball downhill with good timing. However, he lacks speed to threaten the edge and is an average creator. Fumbling has been a major concern and must be corrected. His hands and pass protection both need work in order to play on third downs.”

Thus far in his career, Jackson has proved that he has good hands, catching 30 of his 34 targets, and he’s seemingly cleaned up the fumbling, too. He has just one fumble in 111 career touches. That’s not bad, but it is also a small sample size. Now that he is potentially the Colts’ starting running back, he’s going to get the ball a lot more and needs to make sure he secures it both on the catch and from oncoming defenders trying to knock it out.