Today we look at one of the best running backs in the draft class, Travis Etienne from Clemson. Etienne stands at 5’10, 215lbs. Etienne was a four year starter at Clemson with nearly 5,000 career rushing yards and 78 total touchdowns. Etienne won a National Championship in 2018, was a 2x All-American, 2x ACC Player of the Year, and 3x All-ACC Player. Etienne has a lot of tread on the tires with a ton fo big game experience. Etienne had about 1 fumble for every 90 touches. Lets get into the scouting report:
Strengths: Travis Etienne is a quick running back with a really nice size, speed combo. He just measured in at his Pro Day at 5’10, 215lbs He has a nice compact build and will be able to handle hits at the next level. At his Pro Day, he ran a 4.40 40, showing that adding 10ish pounds didn’t affect his speed. He showed that speed in game, so I’m confident that those numbers translate to his game. Etienne attacks the line of scrimmage, and shoots through the hole with great burst and explosiveness; after making it to the open field he has nice acceleration to outrun the second level players. He displays great vision and instincts, with the ability to bounce runs outside when needed. He is shifty with really nice agility and lateral movement ability due to his quick feet, Etienne is elusive, with a good ability to make would-be tacklers miss. I haven’t even touched on his pass catching ability, which is a big strength of his. He has reliable hands, and although he isn’t an elite route runner, he doesn’t need to be in order to get open, as he uses his speed when he is sent down the field on a route. I believe that he will be really valuable as a dump off option and will be very reliable both when his QB is feeling pressured and needs to get rid of the ball, or just as another way to get him the ball in space. Etienne can be a true RB 1 for an NFL team.
Weaknesses: Etienne isn’t a power back, and he won’t be a guy that will run through a lot of tackles, but that doesn’t worry me, as that’s just not his game. The amount of tread on his tires is a little concerning to me, as he already has about 700 touches before playing an NFL snap. That may limit his ability to produce for a long period of time, as we see with many RBs that get a lot of touches in college. Etienne also struggles in pass protection, often missing his blocks and not being able to even slow them down for a second on the edge. That is something that a lot of college running backs have to work on once they reach the NFL level.
Bottom Line: Etienne is a threat to score everytime he touches the ball, especially in open space. He has great speed and acceleration, with a really compact build. He displays great lateral agility and quick feet, often making tacklers miss. He has great vision and instincts, with a nice ability to find the hole. He is very reliable as a pass catcher. He already has a lot of tread on the tires which is concerning, and still struggles in pass pro. He isn’t a power back, but that doesn’t bother me. He reminds me a lot of Alvin Kamara.
Grade: 1.7
