Jaguars Select Clemson Running Back Travis Etienne With No. 25 Pick
The Jacksonville Jaguars have reunited Trevor Lawrence with one of his favorite teammates, selection Clemson running back Travis Etienne No. 25 overall in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The move surprised many considering the Jaguars are returning 1,000-yard rusher James Robinson and had an abundance of roster holes following a 1-15 season in 2020. But the Jaguars and head coach Urban Meyer wanted to add a speed element to their offense, and they do that in Etienne.
Meyer told reporters following the selection that Etienne is a player who can be a multi-dimensional threat for the Jaguars' offense, noting the team's lack of speed and big-play ability in 2020 and previous years as a big reason for the selection.
The pick comes 24 picks after the Jaguars took Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick. Etienne and Lawrence each starred for Clemson for each of the last three seasons. Now, the duo will share a backfield in Jacksonville as the first picks of the Meyer and Trent Baalke regime.
A four-star running back (No. 15 running back recruit) out of high school, Travis Etienne committed to Clemson over Texas A&M and LSU. What would come next would be one of the most accomplished collegiate careers of any running back in recent memory.
Etienne led the team in rushing as a true freshman, carrying the ball 107 times for 766 yards and 13 touchdowns while earning Third-Team All-Conference honors. He took his game to another level when Clemson won the National Championship in 2018, rushing for 1,658 yards and 24 touchdowns and catching another two touchdowns. His 26 touchdowns set a conference record and earned him ACC Player of the Year, First-Team All-American, and First-Team All-Conference.
Etienne repeated as First-Team All-American and All-Conference and as ACC Player of the Year in 2019 when he rushed for 1,614 yards and 19 touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 432 yards and four touchdowns. He then ended his Clemson career with another year in which he led the ACC in rushing and was named to multiple First-Teams, rushing for 914 yards and 14 touchdowns and catching 48 passes for 588 yards and two touchdowns as a senior.
