Former Wisconsin Badgers star Jonathan Taylor is running wild in the NFL with Indianapolis Colts

It's been a good week for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, the former University of Wisconsin star enjoying a huge second season in the NFL.

Taylor had 19 carries Thursday night in a nationally televised, 45-30 win over the New York Jets, racking up 172 yards and two touchdowns. His night included a 78-yard touchdown sprint that he topped off with a track-and-field inspired "crossing the tape" finish.

The performance comes mere days after Taylor was named the AFC offensive player of the month in October.

Taylor recorded 478 rushing yards, 195 receiving yards and seven total scores during the Colts' five October games. Indianapolis lost a gut-wrenching, 34-31 outcome in overtime against Tennessee on Halloween; otherwise, Indy would have a four-game winning streak and five wins in six tries. As it stands, Indy is 4-5 after starting the year 0-3, with both losses in October coming in OT.

As Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star wrote, with Tennessee's Derrick Henry sidelined indefinitely by a foot injury incurred last week, Taylor may very well be classified as the best running back in the NFL.

Taylor racked up the most rushing yards through a junior season of any back in NCAA history with Wisconsin (6,174 yards), winning the Doak Walker Award for the nation's best running back in 2018 and 2019. Even after forgoing his senior season to enter the NFL draft, he left as the No. 5 career rusher in the official NCAA record book (and No. 6 if bowl-game yardage is calculated for players before 2002).

The Colts selected the New Jersey native at No. 41 in the second round of the 2020 draft. He made the Pro Football Writers Association all-rookie team after rushing for 1,169 yards (5.0 average) and 11 touchdowns, with another 299 receiving yards and receiving touchdown for good measure.

Taylor's 821 yards this season on the ground are second in the NFL behind Henry (granted, he now has an extra game under his belt, though his 5.9 average is better than anyone else with a minimum of 100 attempts and second behind Baltimore's Lamar Jackson for most of anyone with at least 75 attempts).

More: Former Badgers star and Colts running back Jonathan Taylor gives financial advice to Urban Underground youths

JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor running wild in NFL with Colts