{"id":12385,"date":"2025-04-30T11:50:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T11:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/12385\/"},"modified":"2025-04-30T11:50:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T11:50:09","slug":"wisconsin-footballs-record-setting-1984-nfl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/12385\/","title":{"rendered":"Wisconsin football’s record-setting 1984 NFL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n Jim Polzin | Wisconsin State Journal
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

The first 20 picks had been made in the 1985 NFL Draft when Bob Ley, anchoring the coverage for ESPN that day, decided it was an appropriate time to give the University of Wisconsin football program a well-deserved shoutout.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s got to be a great party going on in Madison,\u201d Ley said. \u201cWisconsin has three selections, leading the way so far in this first round.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defensive end Darryl Sims had been selected a little while earlier by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He joined a pair of former teammates\u00a0\u2014 wide receiver Al Toon and cornerback Richard Johnson\u00a0\u2014 on what remains a record-setting draft for the Badgers in more ways than one.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the only time in program history that Wisconsin has had three players selected in the first round. To say it was out of the norm for the school is an understatement: Wisconsin produced only two other first-round picks over the other nine drafts in the 1980s, and that decade was bookended by the Badgers having one first-rounder in the \u201970s and two in the \u201990s.<\/p>\n

\n People are also reading\u2026\n <\/p>\n

Or consider this modern-day comparison: The Badgers had more players selected in the first round in 1985 than they did in the entire 2025 draft that ended Saturday in Green Bay.<\/p>\n

Wednesday marks the 40th anniversary of that banner day, and even some of the participants can\u2019t believe how quickly time has flown.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many years ago was that?\u201d Johnson said during a recent phone interview. \u201cGolly, man, you make me sound old. Don\u2019t say that no more.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Success
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

To evaluate how much the draft has evolved over those 40 years, all you need to do is jump on YouTube and watch ESPN\u2019s coverage from the 1985 event.<\/p>\n

For starters, the first round kicked off on a Tuesday morning, not in prime time. We\u2019re coming off a successful spectacle in and around Lambeau Field in which 600,000 fans were in attendance over three days; the one 40 years ago was held at the Omni Park Central Hotel in New York, where most of the those in the room were NFL employees, team officials or media.<\/p>\n

When then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced Sims had been selected, you could hear a pin drop on the telecast.<\/p>\n

Speaking of which, ESPN\u2019s coverage has come a long way in terms of quality of production. The one constant is Mel Kiper Jr., who, at the time, was a 24-year-old who still had plenty of opinions but was much more subdued. However, he did manage to throw some shade at a Wisconsin player who wasn\u2019t even drafted.<\/p>\n

That great party in Madison? Sorry, Bob, it didn\u2019t happen. In fact, none of the Wisconsin\u2019s three first-rounders even watched the draft together.<\/p>\n

\u2018I wish it was more dramatic’<\/p>\n

Toon was watching with his girlfriend-turned-wife Jane at the apartment of Fred Jackson, who was Wisconsin\u2019s wide receivers coach at the time.<\/p>\n

It was a special day in more than one way for Toon: He turned 22 the day he was drafted.<\/p>\n

Toon\u2019s name came up early in the broadcast when the ESPN crew started talking about how much influence agent Ralph Cindrich, who counted Pittsburgh offensive linemen Bill Fralic and Toon among his clients, could have on the draft. Kiper played the role of news-breaker when he reported that Cindrich had written a letter to Indianapolis owner Robert Irsay informing him Toon didn\u2019t want to play for the Colts.<\/p>\n

The details are hazy 40 years later, but Toon doesn\u2019t remember it going down quite that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t send anything,\u201d he said recently. \u201cThat was 1985, I don\u2019t remember 100% of the details. A lot of life has happened between then and now. But I do know that there was some interest from a lot of teams. My goal was, if possible, to have Ralph talk to the teams that were the highest on my priority list. Ralph handled the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Wisconsin
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

That included discussions with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL, in part to create some leverage, but Toon decided to stick with the NFL. The New York Jets weren\u2019t among the teams on that aforementioned priority list, and Toon didn\u2019t even know how interested they were in him, though he did a pre-draft physical with the team.<\/p>\n

One of the storylines heading into the draft was where a trio of receivers\u00a0\u2014 Toon, Eddie Brown of Miami (Fla.), and Jerry Rice of Mississippi Valley State\u00a0\u2014 would end up, and in what order.<\/p>\n

Those questions took some time to be answered. Big men dominated the early part of the draft, starting with Virginia Tech defensive end Bruce Smith going No. 1 to the Buffalo Bills. The first nine picks included four offensive linemen, four defensive linemen and a linebacker, a run that included the Green Bay Packers trading up to select Southern Cal offensive tackle Ken Ruettgers with the seventh pick.<\/p>\n

Was Toon getting impatient while he waited? Not really.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had never watched the draft, so I didn\u2019t know what to expect,\u201d he said. \u201cI didn\u2019t have any anxiety about it. They said OK, you\u2019re going to be a first-round pick. But I didn\u2019t know anything about Jerry Rice. I didn\u2019t know anything about Eddie Brown. Nor did I care at the time, because I was just looking at, OK, where the hell am I going? What\u2019s going to happen now? My life is going to change apparently, and I was kind of focusing on doing the things that I needed to do to prepare for my new change in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toon\u2019s wait ended in the strangest of ways. Right after NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced that Philadelphia selected Indiana offensive tackle Kevin Allen with the ninth pick, he remained at the podium and was handed a card. Immediately after saying Allen\u2019s name, Rozelle announced the next selection.<\/p>\n

The Jets didn\u2019t need their allotted 15 minutes. They knew they wanted Toon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe story was it was the fastest first-round draft pick ever,\u201d Toon said. \u201cIt was like 15 seconds or something crazy like that. Who knows if that was true or not, but that\u2019s what they were saying.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Where
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

When the ESPN crew broke down the pick, they noted how Toon\u2019s speed and size (6 foot 4, 200 pounds) would be an asset to the Jets. They showed video clips of his time at Wisconsin, where he caught 131 passes for 2,103 yards and 19 touchdowns over three seasons.<\/p>\n

Kiper even managed to toss a dig at the man throwing Toon passes in those clips. \u201cMike Howard was just a scatter-arm type quarterback,\u201d Kiper said. \u201cToon was open, but the ball wasn\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cincinnati Bengals took Brown three picks later and, three picks after that, Rice went to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 16. There\u2019s no debate about who ended up being the best of the three: Rice\u2019s Hall of Fame career included 1,549 receptions for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns over 20 seasons.<\/p>\n

Toon was a three-time Pro Bowl selection who posted career highs with 1,176 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 1986, his second season. He led the NFL with 93 receptions two seasons later, but concussion issues forced Toon to retire in 1992 after eight seasons.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the type who focuses on what\u2019s in front of him, not the things in his rearview mirror. Toon said he doesn\u2019t spend a lot of time thinking about what might have been.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt pretty lucky to beat the odds and ended up being able to do what I did for part of my career,\u201d Toon said. \u201cAnd earned a little bit of money, and it gave me an opportunity to kind of sit back and make some choices that most others don\u2019t. Just leveraged that into a bunch of other things that I did after I retired from football.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Where
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

That list is long and, in no particular order: He was one of nine founding members of Capitol Bank, developed a commercial real estate portfolio, became a franchisee for businesses that included Taco Bell, Hilton Garden Inn and Burger King, served as the president of the National W Club and on the Packers\u2019 board of directors and is a part-owner of Olson Toon Landscaping.<\/p>\n

While he\u2019s not quite ready for retirement, Toon devotes much of his time to family these days. His daughter, Molly Lillard, a former Michigan volleyball player, was killed in a murder-suicide in Arizona in 2021<\/a>, leaving behind a young son.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething like that happening is pretty life-changing for a family, and making the adjustment afterwards was difficult,\u201d said Toon, whose family includes a son, Nick, who also played wide receiver for the Badgers and surpassed his father\u2019s totals in receptions and receiving yards. \u201cWe stuck together as a family, and my wife and I focused on the balance of our kids and we\u2019ve gotten a lot of support from the community and our friends, which has helped us move forward and continue to live life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toon looks at the draft now and chuckles about how much it\u2019s changed since April 30, 1985.<\/p>\n

\u201cNowadays, there\u2019s a lot of pomp and circumstance prior to that,\u201d he said. \u201cPlayers get ramped up \u2013 magazines, television, social media, doing interviews, going to the pre-draft training sessions and all of that stuff. We didn\u2019t have any of that stuff.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least for me, it was basically a normal time all the way up until draft day and then draft day comes and I\u2019m sitting in Fred and Teresa Jackson\u2019s apartment with my girlfriend at the time, waiting to see what happens. I wish it was more dramatic, but it wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018No green room, no nothing\u2019<\/p>\n

Johnson was watching in a San Francisco hotel room with former Wisconsin teammate Averick Walker when Toon\u2019s name was called.<\/p>\n

Another talking point early in the ESPN telecast was which cornerback would go first: Johnson or Memphis State\u2019s Derrick Burroughs.<\/p>\n

Johnson, like Toon, doesn\u2019t remember a whole lot of pomp and circumstance leading up to the draft. But he does recall a lot of agents roaming around Madison.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was crazy because we had a lot of prospects on that team,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThere were a bunch of agents in town. Every time you turned around, there was a different agent in town taking me to dinner. It was a wild time.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Where
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

The Houston Oilers were on the clock after the Jets, and they made it back-to-back Badgers by taking Johnson.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo green room, no nothing,\u201d said Johnson, who was in California because that\u2019s where his agent, Ed Sewell, was based. \u201cJust sitting there in a hotel room watching the draft. It was like, oh, damn, they just drafted me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson knew the Oilers liked him. Houston\u2019s assistant general manager, Mike Holovak, had told him as much during a visit to Madison. Houston had selected Texas A&M defensive tackle Ray Childress with the third overall selection and went defense again eight picks later.<\/p>\n

Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman hinted at conflict among the Houston staff when he said on the ESPN telecast that some coaches in the franchise preferred Burroughs over Johnson.<\/p>\n

One of those people, as it turned out, may have been the head coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think Jerry Glanville liked me,\u201d Johnson says now. \u201cI shouldn\u2019t say he didn\u2019t like me. He wanted someone else. I think he wanted Burroughs or somebody like that. So I had a conflict my first five years there. I was sitting there with a bad attitude, not feeling wanted or appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Former
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Glanville was fired after the 1989 season despite leading the Oilers to three consecutive AFC playoff appearances and was replaced by Jack Pardee. Perhaps it wasn\u2019t a coincidence that Johnson flourished under Pardee in his first season as a starter, leading the AFC with eight interceptions in 1990.<\/p>\n

But Johnson sustained an injury the next season, played hurt most of the year and was never the same. He retired in 1992 after appearing in 98 NFL games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should have sat out,\u201d Johnson said, referring to the 1991 campaign. \u201cIf I had to do it again, I would because that was the beginning of my downfall.\u201d<\/p>\n

But not really. Johnson did well for himself in his life after football. He started a record label in Houston, where he still lives, and joined Sewell in several real-estate projects in Silicon Valley, a tech hub south of San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Johnson said he still keeps up with Wisconsin football and believes he\u2019s overdue for a visit to Madison.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou say it\u2019s the 40th anniversary?\u201d Johnson said. \u201cMaybe they should have all three of us down to be honorary captains. Maybe we all get down there. I need to email those guys, and we can hang out together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not mean enough in Pittsburgh<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear where Sims spent his draft day. After agreeing to an interview for this story and even scheduling a time for the two of us to meet virtually on Microsoft Teams, Sims canceled the interview.<\/p>\n

His reason: I had declined his request to send him the completed version of this story before it was published. That\u2019s an ethical no-no in journalism because subjects could try to sway what is written. It\u2019s not the first time a subject has suggested something like that, but it was surprising to receive it from someone of Sims\u2019 stature: He holds the title of assistant chancellor at UW-Oshkosh and is in charge of the Titans\u2019 athletic department.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Wisconsin
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

To his credit, Sims was polite during our email correspondence. He said he was \u201cuncomfortable with the inability to review the final piece prior to publication,\u201d said he \u201crespectfully\u201d declined the interview and wished me \u201call the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

My follow-up email to him seeking to understand the situation better went unanswered. One of my main questions: Had he been burned by the media in the past?<\/p>\n

An explanation from Sims wasn\u2019t required to answer that question. All it took was going down the rabbit hole of reading through archived newspaper stories from Sims\u2019 time with the Steelers.<\/p>\n

The Pittsburgh media was tough on Sims. How much of it was deserved is open for debate, but it seems Sims wasn\u2019t cut much slack while failing to live up to his billing.<\/p>\n

Sims was drafted No. 20, two spots ahead of Clemson defensive tackle William Perry going to the Chicago Bears. Being picked that high was a surprise for Sims, who told reporters the day he was drafted that he thought he\u2019d be chosen in the second round.<\/p>\n

A monster performance in the Japan Bowl had boosted Sims\u2019 stock. He was named the game\u2019s most outstanding defensive player after recording three sacks while chasing around Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie of Boston College and Ohio State\u2019s Mike Tomczak.<\/p>\n

Sims\u2019 38 sacks for 138 yards ranked second in program history when he left Wisconsin, but there were plenty of skeptics among NFL draftniks.<\/p>\n

Pro Football Weekly\u2019s Joel Buchsbaum placed Sims on his All-Underachiever Team.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarryl Sims (Wisconsin) turns into an unholy terror when he\u2019s freed up and turned loose to rush the passer,\u201d Buchsbaum wrote. \u201cHowever, when given specific responsibilities in a structured defense, he just isn\u2019t the same player.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Where
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

That evaluation turned out to be accurate.<\/p>\n

The first sign of discontent from the Steelers media came just past the midway point of Sims\u2019 rookie season when Pittsburgh Press columnist Bob Smizik spent an entire column ripping Sims following a game a Kansas City. Mind you, the Steelers actually had recorded a 36-28 win over the Chiefs that day.<\/p>\n

Smizik noted that Sims only had two tackles in his first nine games. He pointed out that Sims\u2019 nickname was \u201cSack Man\u201d despite only recording three sacks his senior season with the Badgers. \u201cIt can only be assumed,\u201d Smizik wrote, \u201che earned his nickname because he delivered potatoes during his spare time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The point of Smizik\u2019s column was to make the case that the Steelers would be much better off at that point of the season if Sims were performing at the level of the Steelers\u2019 first-round pick a year earlier, wide receiver Louis Lipps. Smizik called Sims \u201ca major disappointment but still a talent of such proportions no one is ready to close the book on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for Sims, he had this to say in Smizik\u2019s column: \u201cI\u2019m improving, but I\u2019m not satisfied. This league is tougher than you think. I\u2019m not going to give up. I took some steps forward today. I intend to become good. I can\u2019t put a time limit on it. It\u2019s going to take work and practice. I\u2019m going to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sims never did. He lasted only two seasons in Pittsburgh before being waived. Notably, the Steelers did not offer Sims the $1,000 it offered to other cuts to return in case of a strike.<\/p>\n

A 1986 story on Sims noted how \u201cat every turn in the road an avalanche of criticism awaited him.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, when Sims\u2019 trip with the Steelers reached a dead end, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette devoted multiple stories to his release.<\/p>\n

Art Rooney Jr., who led the scouting department when Sims was drafted, blamed himself and said it was a \u201cbad mistake.\u201d It was hard to argue with that assessment: Sims produced 18 tackles and two sacks in two seasons, earning $924,000 in that span.<\/p>\n

Joe Greene, Pittsburgh\u2019s defensive line coach at the time, blamed Sims\u2019 demise on his lack of nastiness on the field. Yes, the man called \u201cMean Joe Greene\u201d didn\u2019t think Sims was mean enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstincts are a factor and he needed some, but first on my list is, Darryl is a nice guy,\u201d Greene told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. \u201cHe didn\u2019t understand to play in the National Football League, the job description calls for being rough and tough and mean and nasty.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Polzin:
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Sims\u2019 reaction that day?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not willing to believe or accept that my professional career is ending here,\u201d Sims said, according to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. \u201cI know I can play, but the media and the coaches and people in general all have a way of making you think that maybe you can\u2019t after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sims spent the next two seasons with the Cleveland Browns but didn\u2019t make much of an impact. His NFL career ended after four dismal seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an art, it\u2019s not perfect,\u201d four-time Super Bowl winning coach Chuck Noll said of the draft on the day the Steelers waived Sims. \u201cWhat you\u2019re doing is projecting performance. He was like a bud, one of those types that wilted on the stem.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 1984 Badgers \u2018should have been better\u2019<\/p>\n

As Johnson said, the agent scene was buzzing around Madison in late 1984 and early 1985.<\/p>\n

The Badgers having three players selected in the first round remains a program record, but so does the fact the school produced 11 total picks in that draft. That\u2019s three more than the school\u2019s next-highest number of draftees in a single year.<\/p>\n

Notables on that list included Dan Turk, who was picked by the Steelers in the fourth round and carved out a 15-year career in the NFL as a long snapper; offensive lineman Jeff Dellenbach, who was taken by Miami in the fourth round, spent 15 years as a pro and was with the Packers when they beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI; and a pair of Green Bay selections, running back Gary Ellerson in the seventh round and defensive back Ken Stills in the eighth round.<\/p>\n

Scott Bergold, a defensive lineman who was converted into an offensive lineman and lasted only one season in the NFL due to an injury and irregular heartbeat, was taken in the second round by the St. Louis Cardinals. New York Post columnist Steve Serby was being interviewed by ESPN when the Bergold pick was announced and was asked for his reaction to the Badgers having four players selected among the first 51 picks.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, three guys in the first round,\u201d Serby said. \u201cHow come their teams are so lousy? Hate to see the other 19 guys play.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n \"Polzin:
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Cruel, perhaps, but Serby raises a fair point. Wisconsin went 7-4-1 overall and 5-3-1 in the Big Ten during the 1984 season. It was a rollercoaster ride that included a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback in a 35-34 home win over Missouri (Johnson played a huge role in that rally), a 17-14 home loss to a Minnesota team that went 4-7, a 16-14 win over No. 6 Ohio State at Camp Randall Stadium and a 20-19 loss to Kentucky in the Hall of Fame Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama.<\/p>\n

Those seven victories matched Wisconsin\u2019s highest win total over a span of 50 seasons\u00a0\u2014\u00a0a stretch that started after an 8-1-1 season in 1942 and ended ahead of a 10-1-1 campaign in 1993\u00a0\u2014 but should the 1984 team have won more games considering it had three first-round picks in 1985, a host of others taken in that draft and two other players who were taken in the USFL draft?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt definitely should have been better,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had too much talent. That was a talented team. We had talent up and down that roster. We should have been a lot better than we were. Lord only knows why not, but we should have been better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photos: A look back at Jonathan Taylor’s career at Wisconsin<\/p>\n

\"B1Gchamp2986MPKe-12032017001408\"<\/p>\n

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor runs the ball for a first down against Ohio State.<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor runs the ball against Miami in 2017.<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"B1Gchamp0271MPKe-12032017002345\"<\/p>\n

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor picks up a first down on a pass play during the first quarter of the 2017 Big Ten Football Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017.<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

Wisconsin Badgers freshman running back Jonathan Taylor breaks loose on a long run against Michigan in 2017.<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"WHEN<\/p>\n

Jonathan Taylor runs the ball during a game against Penn State in 2017.<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

Alex Hornibrook congratulates Jonathan Taylor on his touchdown run against Florida Atlantic.<\/p>\n

STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"TD<\/p>\n

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor runs into the end zone on a long touchdown during a game against Nebraska.<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor reacts to fans as he runs off the field following a game against Indiana.<\/p>\n

DARRON CUMMINGS, ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Oct.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Taylor runs the ball during a game against Maryland.<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"2017<\/p>\n

Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor runs for a first down late in the third quarter of the Badgers’ 31-0 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Nov. 25, 2017, at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Taylor carried the ball 20 times for 149 yards and a touchdown as Wisconsin extended its winning streak in the Axe Game to 14.\u00a0<\/p>\n

M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Buckeyes<\/p>\n

Jonathan Taylor celebrates after running for a touchdown during the first half of the Big Ten championship against Ohio State.<\/p>\n

Darron Cummings, Associated Press<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

Jonathan Taylor runs for a touchdown against Nebraska.<\/p>\n

STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Buckeyes<\/p>\n

Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, left, is congratulated by Jack Dunn after running for a touchdown during a game against Ohio State.<\/p>\n

AJ Mast, Associated Press<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Pinstripe<\/p>\n

Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor breaks a tackle attempt by Miami defensive back Sheldrick Redwine in 2018.<\/p>\n

ADAM HUNGER, ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Wisconsin<\/p>\n

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor scores against Kent State.<\/p>\n

STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Wisconsin<\/p>\n

Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor scores a touchdown during a game against Central Michigan.<\/p>\n

File Photo<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

Jonathan Taylor celebrates after a touchdown during a game in his career with the Badgers.<\/p>\n

JOHN FISHER, CAL SPORT MEDIA<\/p>\n

Contact Jim Polzin at jpolzin@madison.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Be the first to know<\/p>\n

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