When Jonathon Taylor burst onto the scene back in 2017, it was immediately clear he was the new face of Wisconsin Badger football.
Despite his heavy workload and sturdy Big Ten defenses specifically plotting to stop him, he helped spur Wisconsin to a 13-1 record and amassed 1,977 yards on the ground as a freshman, placing him fourth on the University of Wisconsin’s all-time single season rushing leaders.
Yet like some of the other backs on that list, namely Melvin Gordon and Montee Ball, Taylor’s accomplishments were pushed to the side as Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield took home the Heisman trophy.