RB Travis Etienne, No. 25, Jacksonville Jaguars
On the surface, I get this pick. Urban Meyer gives Trevor Lawrence a call and says, “hey, you want to continue playing with Travis Etienne? Okay great, we’re taking him at No. 25.” That’s all good and dandy, but it’s not the best way for the Jacksonville Jaguars to have spent this pick.
This is a Jaguars team that went 2-14 last year and has plenty of issues to address. Sure, they took a huge step forward with the selection of Lawrence at No. 1 overall. That, however, isn’t going to suddenly make them Super Bowl contenders. Filling holes should have been the priority, but they didn’t necessarily have one at running back.
The Jaguars already have options in the ground game, including surprise workhorse James Robinson and Carlos Hyde. I love Etienne’s versatility and familiarity with Lawrence, but that doesn’t mean that spending a first-round pick on him was worth it.
There was so much defensive talent still on the board. They could have also added more receivers or protection for their franchise quarterback. Instead, they used their second first-round selection on what’s essentially a feel-good addition for the young gunslinger.
Etienne is undoubtedly talented, but the Jaguars needed help elsewhere. With other options available, he won’t get the opportunities he deserves and Jacksonville would have benefited from an injection of youth at another position.