The Jacksonville Jaguars selected one of the 2021 NFL draft's top running back prospects after choosing Clemson's Travis Etienne with the 25th overall pick.
The 22-year-old amassed 6,107 scrimmage yards and 78 touchdowns during his four years with the Tigers, who made the College Football Playoff each season of his tenure.
He capped his collegiate stint with 1,502 scrimmage yards and 16 touchdowns in 12 games. He rushed for 914 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and 14 scores for the CFP semifinalists. He now reunites with college teammate Trevor Lawrence, who was the first overall pick in the draft.
Here's a look at how Etienne should fit into the Jaguars' offensive depth chart:
QB: Trevor Lawrence, Gardner Minshew II, C.J. Beathard, Jake Luton
RB: James Robinson, Travis Etienne, Ryquell Armstead, Carlos Hyde
WR 1: DJ Chark, Collin Johnson, Jon'Vea Johnson
WR 2: Marvin Jones, Phillip Dorsett, Josh Hammond
WR 3: Laviska Shenault Jr., Terry Godwin, Jamal Agnew
TE: Tyler Eifert, Chris Manhertz
LT: Cam Robinson, Will Richardson
LG: Andrew Norwell, KC McDermott
C: Brandon Linder, Tyler Shatley
RG: A.J. Cann, Ben Bartch, Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms
RT: Jawaan Taylor, Derwin Gray, Austen Pleasants
The B/R NFL Scouting Department listed him fourth among running backs and 69th overall on its final big board.
B/R also stated that he had the best speed among any draft-eligible running back. The 5'10", 215-pound back ran 40-yard dashes of 4.41 and 4.43 seconds at his Pro Day on March 11.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network is very high on the Jennings, Louisiana native, ranking him as his top running back and 18th overall:
"Etienne is a compact, muscled-up running back with outstanding burst and balance. He's at his best as a one-cut runner, putting his foot in the ground and exploding up the field. He isn't overly elusive in the hole, but he hits it at full speed and absorbs contact while keeping his balance. He has plenty of speed to capture the edge on outside runs. He rarely loses a foot race once he gets into the open field."
Etienne now figures to carve out a significant role in Jaguars' backfield. He'll look to be the next Clemson offensive star to excel in the NFL.
That list includes superstars such as Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins as well as potential ones such as Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins.
Etienne now joins a backfield that already includes James Robinson, the former undrafted free agent who ended up being one of the top rookies in the NFL last year. He finished the year with 1,414 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns.
The latest draft pick gives the team a new dimension with his game-changing speed and he should see plenty of action in his first NFL season.
