Best Comparison for Jonathan Taylor (1 Viewer)

[SAINTSFAN]

Really like him. However, it is a concern that he has a lot of mileage on his body and he has had fumbling issues.

 

[Saint Taysom]

Actually, I think he meant the 9ers' #2 WR back in the 80s.

Michael Thomas needs a “John Taylor” to compliment him the same way he complimented Jerry Rice. That John Taylor was an underrated beast of a #2 WR.

 

[El Caliente]

JTT? Come on man! He’s clearly not talking about a former child actor; that’s ridiculous!
The OP was obviously referring to the bass guitarist and founding member of Duran Duran!

Girls on film!

 

[black_floyd]

JTT? Come on man! He’s clearly not talking about a former child actor; that’s ridiculous!
The OP was obviously referring to the bass guitarist and founding member of Duran Duran!

I just heard Hungry Like the Wolf on the way home from the store lol.

 

[bobad]

As most of you know I’m a big comparisons guy. I think the best way to project potential success or potential failure is to define what guys with similar body types, athleticism, production, etc have done and use it to project prospects each draft season.

I do the same thing. I feel I must compare to some thing or someone, or I have no frame of reference.

A lot of times, there is no good 1:1 comparison like Taylor and Peterson, so I "hybridize". For example, I think Edwards-Hellaire has a combination of the traits of Emmit Smith and Dalton Hilliard. Swift, the GA RB, is straight up Gurley in my eyes.

 

[HogsNSaints]

I do the same thing. I feel I must compare to some thing or someone, or I have no frame of reference.

A lot of times, there is no good 1:1 comparison like Taylor and Peterson, so I "hybridize". For example, I think Edwards-Hellaire has a combination of the traits of Emmit Smith and Dalton Hilliard. Swift, the GA RB, is straight up Gurley in my eyes.

I’ve done quite a few comparison write-ups in my phone notes, and I think Edwards-Helaire is 100% Aaron Jones. Similar compact builds with a low center of gravity, natural leg drive and bounce in tight areas. Basically the opposite of what I mentioned with Peterson & Taylor at the line of scrimmage. Both are incredible weapons out of the backfield and are capable of running a unique tree of routes from the position. Neither guy has blow away straight line speed, but they have first step quickness and get to top speed quickly. CEH can be a high quality back.

 

[bobad]

. Neither guy has blow away straight line speed, but they have first step quickness and get to top speed quickly. CEH can be a high quality back.

Yes, he's right in Payton's wheel house.

I'm a little biased toward bigger backs though. Someone like CE-H early to tire out the defense, then someone like Taylor or Swift to finish the game.

There was something funny going on with Murray this year. No matter how hot he was, Payton wouldn't ride him. So, maybe no use in getting horses like Taylor or Swift, they would just be wasted.

EDIT: Looked up some Aaron Jones footage, and you're right. He looks a bit quicker than CE-H, but they are practically clones in their running styles.

 

[Bespoke]

I've seen mocks that have him in the late 1st to second round. I've seen him rated as the 4th-6th best back in the draft.

I watch a lot of Wisconsin games because the Big "10" is usually what is shown on Chicago television.

I'm floored by his low ranking. Has the combine helped him at all? In another era he would be a top 5 pick.

My only knock on him is that he has a lot of miles on his legs. He isn't the ideal pass catcher but I don't think that he was asked to do that at Wisconsin so maybe he can do it but never had to.

Low ranking? I think late Round 1 is fair, and actually a really generous projection for him.

In today's era of Football the Running Back position is valued less, and less. League has shifted more towards passing, and analytics is showing Running backs success is much more heavily dependent on the Blocking they receive more more than Athletic ability alone can produce.

There was only one Running back taken in the First round in Last year's Draft. Josh Jacobs at 24th overall.

So from that perspective it makes much more sense to use your early Draft capital on O-line and look towards later rounds, undrafted signings at Running back.

Last season an Undrafted guy Phillip Lindsay outproduced a 2nd overall pick Saquon Barkley from a rushing perspective.

Lindsay - 2019 - 224 attempts, 1,011 yards, YPA 4.5
Barkley - 2019 - 217 attempts, 1,003 yards, YPA 4.6

" Don't draft running backs high, Don't draft running backs high, Don't draft running backs high."

 

[cajunman9]

I like him for pick #24 depending on who else we have to choose from.
But I do like Jonathon Taylor a whole lot. Maybe we can sneak back into the Second Round for a TE, (Cole Kmet) or Linebacker.
I think we will sign an OL, & DB in FA Period. Draft a WR in Round Three or Four.

 

[HogsNSaints]

Last season an Undrafted guy Phillip Lindsay outproduced a 2nd overall pick Saquon Barkley from a rushing perspective.

Lindsay - 2019 - 224 attempts, 1,011 yards, YPA 4.5
Barkley - 2019 - 217 attempts, 1,003 yards, YPA 4.6

" Don't draft running backs high, Don't draft running backs high, Don't draft running backs high."

Last season a 6th round QB (Minshew) was more productive on a per game basis than the #1 pick in the draft.

Last season an edge rusher was the 4th overall pick, and was out produced on a per game basis by a rookie edge rusher on the exact same team (Clelin Ferrell:Max Crosby).

It’s the way it always works.. You take the guy you think is the best player to help your team succeed and position doesn’t matter.

 

[bobad]

I like him for pick #24 depending on who else we have to choose from.
But I do like Jonathon Taylor a whole lot. Maybe we can sneak back into the Second Round for a TE, (Cole Kmet) or Linebacker.
I think we will sign an OL, & DB in FA Period. Draft a WR in Round Three or Four.

I'm thinking Payton grabs the best G at 24, and sneaks back into the 2nd and takes the best RB.

 

[cajunman9]

I'm thinking Payton grabs the best G at 24, and sneaks back into the 2nd and takes the best RB.

I will agree for need, but I just do not see a First Round Guard or Tackle falling to #24. That would mean a reach. I hope it would happen.

 

[bobad]

I will agree for need, but I just do not see a First Round Guard or Tackle falling to #24. That would mean a reach. I hope it would happen.

I'm thinking how happy Payton is with his last 2 major OL picks. Pretty awesome! We have the best young Center and RT in the league in McCoy and Ram, just think if we could snag a G at 24 to protect Pappaw Brees up the middle.

 

[Bespoke]

It’s the way it always works.. You take the guy you think is the best player to help your team succeed and position doesn’t matter.

That's a great sounding strategy in theory, but we can clearly see in today's game certain Positions hold more value to NFL GM's from a team building perspective.

We can clearly see this with Quarterbacks, and Edge Rushers. Those always rise to the top of the Draft, because of how important those positions are to the overall success of your Football team. (QBs touch the ball on almost every Offensive snap, and Pass Rushers have the greatest effect on impacting QBs from a Defensive standpoint)

Of course there are the outliers but most of the successful Quarterbacks, and Edge Rushers are taken in the first round or second rounds and your odds of finding a successful one diminish the later in the draft you go..

Do you sometimes get a case of a 4th round Maxx Crosby outproducing your 1st round pick Edge Rusher? Sure you do happens every year with every position.

But there are plenty, and plenty examples of Running backs taken late in the Draft, or Undrafted that have success every year. Both Super Bowl starting Running backs Damien Williams for KC, and Raheem Mostert for SF were Undrafted. Our own Latavius Murray was a 6th round pick to the Raiders, Aaron Jones was a 5th rounder to Green Bay, Arian Foster Undrafted, heck one of the most succesful Running backs in Saints history was an Undrafted guy in Pierre Thomas.

If I were a GM I would always opt to build O-line, and take a QB early; and the earliest I'd consider a Running back would be Round 3. Unless my team was set at literally every other postion except Running back, which rarely is the case in this age of Free agency. You can take a generational talent at Running back, but if you stick him behind a poor O-line, with no established QB you are wasting him, and you will still be a losing team. (Barry Sanders?) You can and there have been multiple teams winning Super Bowls with great Quarterbacks, dominant O-lines with lesser talents at Running back.

 

[Bespoke]

I will agree for need, but I just do not see a First Round Guard or Tackle falling to #24. That would mean a reach. I hope it would happen.

I think there's a good chance Michigan, Interior OL Cesar Ruiz could be the Pick if we stay put at 24.

He's expected to go late round 1, early round 2 and has very, very solid film; very technically sound Linemen who could potentially start right away on the O-line and can play Guard. (if the reports are true at how serious the Saints staff are about addressing Guard this off-season this could be a route they go)