The Jaguars' Productive NFL Draft Haul May Negatively Impact Some

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a solid draft haul in general manager James Gladstone's first offseason. Jacksonville added talent on both sides of the ball, but that is not good news for everyone on the Jaguars' roster.

Sterling Xie of the Pro Football Network noted how the Jaguars' draft haul could make Travis Etienne expendable.

"PFSN highlighted Travis Etienne Jr. as a top pre-draft trade candidate for the Jaguars. That noise will only grow louder after the Jags used their first Day 3 pick on super-athlete Bhayshul Tuten, who tore up the NFL Combine with a 4.32 40-yard dash at 206 pounds," Xie said.

Xie noted that Etienne entering the last year of his contract with the Jaguars makes him a trade piece for Jacksonville.

"With Etienne in the final year of his contract, his future in Jacksonville continues to look murky. The Jaguars could feasibly get by with a duo of Tuten and Tank Bigsby in 2025, if the rookie looks ready to play. Etienne had his least efficient season in 2024, averaging career-lows in yards per carry (3.7) and yards per touch (4.3)."

"Liam Coen’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense did utilize a three-headed monster last year between Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, and Sean Tucker. However, the rookie Irving was clearly the most talented player and seized control of the backfield by season’s end. If Tuten pops sooner than Irving did, Etienne would serve the Jaguars better as a trade chip for a more RB-needy team like the [Dallas] Cowboys or [the Chicago] Bears."

According to Ryan Fowler of the Draft Network, Tuten "must work on keeping it tight when he reaches open grass. Has had multiple instances of backside pursuit defenders jarring it loose (Marshall and Rutgers). He has very average agility to make defenders miss at or near the line of scrimmage—that is a concern against quicker defenders at the next level. He does, however, have some open-field nuance to make defenders miss once past the line of scrimmage."

"Through the air, Tuten has been primarily used as a check-down option with a route tree held to screens, leaks, digs, and an occasional wheel route. Tuten does show the ability to haul in passes naturally, which heightens his projection as an aerial weapon down the line. Competitive in pass pro, also."

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