Travis Etienne and Najee Harris earn identical Madden 22 ratings

Rookie running back Travis Etienne will be sharing the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ backfield with James Robinson. It’s currently unknown how many snaps the two-time ACC Player of the Year will get per game in 2021 but his Madden 22 rating isn’t, as EA has been releasing the ratings of several players over the last few days.

Etienne earned a Madden rating of 76, just like fellow rookie Naji Harris, who was drafted one spot ahead of him. They were the top-rated first-year running backs, above Javonte Williams (75), Trey Sermon (74), and Michael Carter (73). Regarding Etienne’s rating, this is what the EA had to say:

"Etienne Jr. is an elusive back archetype with a 92 Speed rating and a 93 Acceleration rating coming into Madden NFL 22. There’s no doubt he’ll make an immediate impact in the Jacksonville backfield alongside James Robinson."

It is difficult for a rookie to get a Madden rating above 80, let alone 90. Meanwhile, veteran Christian McCaffrey got a 97 overall rating. Here’s the rest of the top 5 running backs in this year’s edition of the video game franchise: Derrick Henry (96), Nick Chubb (96), Dalvin Cook (95), Alvin Kamara (94).

Travis Etienne will indeed have an immediate impact.

The Jaguars raised a few eyebrows when they made Travis Etienne the 25th overall pick in 2021’s draft. After all, James Robinson was coming off a solid rookie campaign, and using a first-round selection on a running back seemed unnecessary. Looking back, it wasn’t a bad pick.

It’s true that you can always find a running back in the later rounds of the draft. However, the Jags believe they got a special one in Etienne. Back in May, head coach Urban Meyer said the former Tiger had the potential to be a “legitimate dual-threat”. Furthermore, he lined up at wide receiver in rookie minicamp.

While Robinson may still be the Jaguars’ lead back in 2021, Etienne should also have a significant role on offense. Jacksonville won’t probably have two 1,000-yard running backs this upcoming season but the duo could form a very productive tandem. In fact, the Jags should see their ground rank considerably higher after finishing 31st in rushing touchdowns last season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will have a more balanced running game.

Robinson had a league-high 86 percent of the team’s total carries in 2020. That number will go considerably down this season but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Last season, he was the only dependable running back the Jags had on the roster, and they might have overworked him, as he missed the last two games of the year with an ankle injury.

The Clemson product can step on the football field, and the Jaguars won’t likely see a drop off in production. Sure, Robinson won’t total 1,400 yards from scrimmage once again but he should now be fresher as Etienne will be able to spell him from time to time.

Etienne earned a relatively low Madden 22 but it wasn’t an outlier. Most rookies do. If he becomes the playmaker the Jaguars think he is, EA should adjust his rating in a not too distant future.