Wisconsin Football: Top 10 Running Backs since Ron Dayne
Jonathan Taylor
Years played: 2017
Career rushing yards: 1,977
Career rushing touchdowns: 13
Honors/Awards: Second team All-American (2017), First team All-Big Ten (2017), Big Ten freshman of the year (2017)
Notes: Led Big Ten, third in NCAA, in rushing yards (1,977) in 2017.
Taylor’s Game
Taylor is the only active running back on this list and currently occupies the hearts of Badgers fans. He looks primed to continue to climb up this list after an incredible freshman season that saw Taylor land on the All-American team. He ran track in high school and broke all of Clement’s New Jersey state records. Taylor has been lauded for having incredible vision for a freshman and has great footwork. He’s hard to keep track of for opposing defense since he’s always moving around behind the line and isn’t necessarily going to hit the hole created for him. Taylor can create something from nothing and has breakaway speed.
Taylor’s Legacy
He’s just the newest in the long line of successful Wisconsin running backs. We knew there was going to be another great one, and Taylor decided to take hold of the spot. Most of what Taylor’s legacy will be has yet to be written. His freshman year is an incredible jumping-off point, but there is much work to be done if he wants to climb the list of all-time Badger backs. Taylor has the potential to be one of the greatest college football has ever seen, let alone Wisconsin.