Florida Gators Enrollee Profile: RB Trevor Etienne
Photo: Trevor Etienne; Credit: Zach Goodall
Trevor Etienne, Running Back
School: Jennings (La.)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 218 pounds
On3 Consensus Ranking: Four-star, No. 304 (National), No. 22 (RB position)
Recruitment History
The Florida Gators sought out Etienne as one of the first players within their 2022 National Signing Day class, locking his commitment on Jan. 8, the day of the All-American Bowl in San Antonio this year. It was a step forward in Florida's recruiting efforts, locking in a top-rated running back during Billy Napier's couple of months as the team's head coach.
Etienne would commit to Florida over LSU and Clemson, a tough decision between his hometown school (LSU) and a school his brother, Travis Etienne, had so much success at. Travis is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft (pick No. 25 overall).
Etienne's recruitment to Florida began with the previous regime, an intriguing option, but one that wasn't a done deal until after Napier and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke got ahold of the Louisiana native. He first received an offer from UF in 2020, and unofficially visited the program twice during the previous regime in June and Nov. 2021.
He would close in on UF, LSU and Clemson as his leaders on Nov. 29, 2021, and officially visited Florida on Jan. 14, 2022, less than a week after he originally committed. He would sign on the dotted line on Feb. 2, 2022, while enrolling in the program on May 9 this year.
From the area, Napier and Juluke already had somewhat of a relationship with Etienne, making the connection easier. Ultimately, it was the vision that Napier and his coaching staff have for the program that drew Etienne in closer, locking in his commitment.
Where Etienne Fits
Simply put, Etienne is one of the best backs in the country within his recruiting class. Showcasing a blend of speed and power, he fits in Napier's offense quite well, fitting the mold of former UL running back Montrell Johnson, 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, who recently transferred to UF to join both Juluke and Napier in Gainesville.
The Gators entered the year with a major need at the position. After all, the team was losing both starting RBs, Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis. Pierce would be selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, while Davis was signed as an undrafted free agent to the Dallas Cowboys shortly following the draft.
That left Florida with just one other player that had extensive experience in the backfield, RB Nay'Quan Wright. Both Lorenzo Lingard and Demarkcus Bowman have played, but very sparingly. In other terms, they're unknowns.
With Wright ailing from a late-season injury, that put even more of an emphasis on the position, hence the reason to bring in a transfer, Johnson, and at least one other running back, Etienne, via the recruiting channel.
Below, you can find a brief synopsis of what Etienne will bring to the table in orange and blue – in addition to his deceiving speed at 5-foot-9, 218 pounds – from UF running backs coach Jabbar Juluke's March press conference.
"Versatility. He's smart, very competitive, he has the pedigree of course. I think that he's the ultimate competitor. Man, I love the way he wants to compete ... we've got to get him out here, get him acclimated. It's a different offense, we've got to figure out if he's able to comprehend it and play fast as he's doing it ... Some new verbage, a lot of verbage. Protections, routes, running the football, knowing who to read. We've got to slow it down for him a little bit, right? So once we're able to do that, we'll see where he's at. He's very, more than talented."
Though Etienne doesn't exactly address all of Florida's needs at the position, getting him into the system under Napier, especially considering the reliance on the run game, was important. He will be the first of many running backs this regime brings in, and his ability, rushing for 1,344 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, backs it up.
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