Jonathan Taylor should be atop Chiefs second-round wish list

Weaknesses:

Taylor is a retro-style running back that plays old-school runner. Although Jonathan Taylor has the potential to be an outstanding NFL running back, he has some issues that should not be overlooked, especially pertaining to his fit with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Passing game

While a team can certainly ask Jonathan Taylor to stay inside and block for the quarterback, he is not a polished receiver. Although he has some potential in this area, he has never amassed 250 receiving yards in a season. He seems to struggle to secure the ball into his chest and turn upfield. He also looks a bit wonky when assigned a route to run.

This is especially interesting and could be a tough decision for Brett Veach to make: Is this a coachable flaw, or is he truly deficient in this area. When it comes to all-purpose backs, there are plenty in this draft class. Right now, Taylor appears to be a ball carrier and not much of a receiver.

Wear and tear

One of the reasons that a team should be nervous about investing in a running back is their longevity. Running backs seem to lose a step before other position groups due to the amount of punishment they take. This is a reason to second-guess drafting a running back early in the first place along with the fact that most talented running backs are less of a cog in a functioning machine and more of a luxury.

Jonathan Taylor has carried the ball nearly 1,000 times in Wisconsin’s run-heavy offensive scheme. Although he has tremendous upside, any team looking for a running back should have caution when looking at players with that kind of mileage before they have entered the professional arena.

Final Word

Any NFL franchise should, generally speaking, view investments in running backs as bad ones. That being said, the Chiefs are Super Bowl Champions that have found a way to bring back most of their key contributors from a season ago. While the Chiefs should invest in offensive linemen, defensive backs, pass rushers, and linebackers, a talented running back would certainly assist the Chiefs on a tour back to the Super Bowl. At this point, the Chiefs are on pace to be on top of the AFC again, which makes the running back position a luxury that they may, indeed, be able to afford.

Jonathan Taylor would prove to be an incredible addition for Chiefs offense, which is already one of the most electric in the NFL. Investing in a running back is risky and using a first-round pick on a running back is typically a poor decision. However, the Chiefs are uniquely suited to add a player like Taylor; it now becomes a question of where they value him and how the board falls. If he falls to the Chiefs at the bottom of the 2nd round, they should be sprinting to the virtual podium.