Travis Etienne wants hybrid role like 49ers’ Deebo Samuel

Now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Travis Etienne could feed off his past success as a dual-threat player during his time at Clemson.

Former Clemson running back Travis Etienne was heavily used as a receiving threat in college, and now it appears he could be utilized just as much, if not more, as a pass-catcher in the pros.

Coming off a Lisfranc injury that forced him to miss his entire rookie season, Etienne believes his position flexibility can be a great asset to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Football is all about matchups so I mean if I could be like Deebo Samuel, I would love that,” Etienne told CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. “Honestly the game is a game of productivity. If you can produce, the team is always going to have a need for you. It’s just trying to be the best player I can be so I can be on the field at all times.”

Samuel, who plays for the San Fransico 49ers, was used as a dual-pronged threat last season, as he racked up 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards and a combined 14 touchdowns. In comparison, Etienne rushed for 3,338 yards and had 102 receptions for 1,155 receiving yards in his four seasons at Clemson.

According to Jones, Etienne spent an entire two-hour OTA session just on catching passes, so it appears the Jaguars recognize Etienne’s talents as a receiver.

Here are some clips of Etienne catching passes from former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawence.

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