Travis Etienne | RB | Clemson

Height | 5-10

Weight | 210

Strengths

If you’re looking for speed and explosiveness at the running back position, Etienne is your guy.

His acceleration once he hits a running lane is nothing short of impressive, and he has the long speed to outrun defenders in the open field. He runs with determination and a high motor, fighting hard for extra yardage and churning his legs to try and run through would-be tacklers. Etienne also has very good contact balance for a speedster, as he can roll over the opposition and keep himself upright when he gets hit.

Etienne’s production at the collegiate level has been fantastic, too. Through three seasons, the Clemson back has 3,924 rushing yards, 54 touchdowns and an astounding 8.0 yards per carry. His proven ability to make big plays should attract NFL teams looking for a running back early in the draft.

Weaknesses

While Etienne possesses top-notch physical attributes, he could still improve his ball-carrier vision. He’s inconsistent in terms of showing patience and identifying the hole and can be too aggressive when shooting up the middle. He goes all-out on almost every play, but that speed should be adjusted when waiting behind blocks for a lane to emerge.

Though he has shown some improvement in the role in 2019, Etienne is still a bit raw and unproven as a receiver. Prior to this past year, he only had 17 catches in his first two seasons. He is raw running routes out of the backfield and doesn’t have very smooth hands. That inexperience could prevent him from being a three-down back early in his career.

Bottom Line

A speed demon with a high motor and a tough running style, Etienne has a very high upside with some more room to develop. If he irons out some wrinkles in his game, the sky’s the limit for him.

Projection: Round 1-2

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