The Jacksonville Jaguars got a solid QB/RB duo in the 2021 NFL Draft when they drafted both Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne out of Clemson. But, head coach Urban Meyer doesn't seem set on using Etienne in the Jaguars backfield.
Per the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the rookie running back is taking all of his training camp reps at…wide receiver.
#Jaguars coach Urban Meyer told reporters that first-round RB Travis Etienne will take all of his minicamp reps at WR. “Worst case scenario you have a running back that's elite with receiver skills,” Meyer said. Similar, it seems, to Le’Veon Bell in his prime.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 15, 2021
This shouldn't be that difficult for Etienne, after all. He is an elite athlete who probably has no problem catching passes, but it raises the question, why didn't the Jaguars just draft a wide receiver? Meyer did admit that he actually really wanted to select Florida's Kadarious Toney in the first round, but the New York Giants beat him to the receiver.
Nevertheless, this is interesting, to say the least. James Robinson had a decent year at RB last season for Jacksonville and they also signed Carlos Hyde in free agency.
If you look at it from another perspective, it's also not detrimental to have Etienne capable of playing both positions. It could only benefit the Jaguars down the line.
With an abundance of players in the backfield, playing out wide could be the best way for Etienne to get touches in his rookie year at the NFL level.
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