2021 NFL Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year

Grading every rookie from the 2021 NFL Draft: Travis Etienne, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

2021 Stats: 

• N/A

You never want to wish an injury on any player in the NFL, but there are times you can look back on something unfortunate and realize there could have been a blessing hidden way in the background. This could end up being the case for running back Travis Etienne who missed his rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Again, there’s no joy in a player losing part of their already short career, but the hidden blessing could be that this young man never really had to endure the Urban Meyer era. Sure, he was there in the preseason and had his share of participation while recovering from his Lisfranc injury, but he wasn’t one of the players on the field trying to figure out what the heck this coach wanted from them.

As for his projection going forward, Etienne was a machine for the Clemson Tigers. He ran the ball exceptionally well and caught it out of the backfield like a pro — which is why Meyer reportedly considered using him at wideout, which would have been a mistake.

Etienne will also have to compete with James Robinson for snaps but with this team having so many issues, they shouldn’t be too upset about having more than one capable player in the backfield.

Having said all that, there’s no way to judge a season that never happened, so an incomplete grade is handed out here.

Grade: Incomplete