5 Jacksonville Jaguars trending up early in training camp

Jacksonville Jaguars players trending up No. 4: RB Travis Etienne

Depending on whom you ask, the Jaguar may or may not have had a good draft in 2021. However, the consensus agrees that taking Travis Etienne with the 25th overall pick might not have been a good decision. If Jacksonville wanted a running back, they could have waited, as you can get a good one in a later round. Also, the position wasn’t a need, as James Robinson showed in his rookie campaign he could get the job done. The former Redbird totted the rock 240 times for 1,070 yards with seven touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per carry.

Then again, the consensus doesn’t run the Jaguars’ war room on draft day and the team’s brass didn’t see Etienne as a running back but rather a playmaker. Head coach Urban Meyer believes that the former Tiger can be a hybrid dual-threat at best and a solid player with receiving skills at worst.

So far, E-T-N has showcased the explosiveness that made him a difference-maker at Clemson and one of the top running back prospects ahead of this year’s draft. He displayed burst the ability to get skinny in traffic on Day 2 of training camp, per John Shipley of Jaguar Report.

"Etienne broke off several long runs on Thursday, waiting patiently to find the hole and then bursting through it untouched. He broke each of the two runs past the second level without defenders near him, so it is safe to say in pads these would have been big gains as well."

While there’s a good chance Robinson will open the year as the starter, Etienne will also have a big role on the Jaguar’s offense. Moreover, it will be difficult for the coaching staff to take him off the field his performance in training camp carries over into the regular season.