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Can Travis Etienne be a Top 10 Running Back in 2025? · Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast

• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome in to Duval Daily Prisoner by Jinjak.com.
• 0:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jordan Deluga.
• 0:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks so much for being here.
• 0:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Monday, July, seventh.
• 0:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Earlier today, we talked about Britain's strange in him potentially being a fantasy breakout.
• 0:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: PFF tapped him as a potential breakout at the Titan position for my opinion on that.
• 0:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can go check that video out.
• 0:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: But right now, we're talking about Travis ETN.
• 0:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jack Wars running back.
• 0:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And during the final year of his rookie season or entering the final year of his rookie contract, I should say.
• 0:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so we're going to look at that.
• 0:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: What's that stake for him this year?
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: And also kind of take a peek at ESPN's top ten running backs.
• 0:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Where was Travis E.T.
• 0:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: in last year as he sold the list this year?
• 0:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Talk about, can he kind of get back?
• 0:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: to where he was prior to the twenty twenty four campaign, which was certainly his worst as a pro.
• 1:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, really appreciate y'all tuning in.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 1:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you have not already, helps the channel out a ton.
• 1:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis ETN and twenty twenty four heading into the twenty twenty four season.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: ESPN puts a top ten ranking together of each position group.
• 1:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: And they pull executives, coaches, and scouts to put together this list.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not a list done by just ESPN media members, ESPN personalities.
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's actually put together using executive coaches and scouts.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it's a pretty interesting list.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And last year, Travis ETN came in at number ten.
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: heading into the twenty twenty four campaign the highest that he was ranked by an executive coach or scout which are all anonymous was four obviously that's very very high his lowest ranking was outside of the top ten and twenty twenty three he was an honorable mention for the top ten
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: And they wrote, after missing his entire rookie year because of injury, ETN became a top ten back with back to back one thousand yard rushing seasons, sixteen total touchdowns and nearly one hundred receptions.
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: One stat from last season perfectly describes ETN's explosion.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: He had a max of nineteen point six two miles per hour when crossing the line of scrimmage.
• 2:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's like you get the ball and you get to the line of scrimmage and you're already absolutely flying.
• 2:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's something I talk about with ETN a lot.
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: His explosiveness
• 2:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: is instant acceleration is really impressive and then we have a quote from one of these anonymous execs coaches or scouts says one of the few three downbacks really good zone runner makes people miss and space and this is actually from an NFL coordinator decent catching the ball and in past protection no major flaws just not great in short yardage situations and I think
• 2:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: That really did encapsulate what Travis ETN was doing prior to the twenty twenty four season really well.
• 3:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's true that he's not great in short yardage situations.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's not a power back.
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: He also doesn't display the best vision, which can negatively impact your ability to get the short yardage situations.
• 3:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's best in space.
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Bottom line.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is a good zone runner.
• 3:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the interesting thing about this evaluation is says that he's decent in past protection, which past protection bought him out for the Jaguars running backslash here in a big way, and it wasn't just Travis ETN.
• 3:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was everybody.
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis ETN's worst season by far in the NFL, as I mentioned, and also his worst season in past protection.
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you look at his past pro stats from Pro football focus,
• 3:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: In twenty twenty three he had a fifty two point two past block great as efficiency was ninety four point two he had a hundred twenty past pro reps right and he allowed eleven pressures on those which is not great by any stretch of the imagination again fifty two point two not great but it's more than possible it's decent right
• 4:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you have a back that's as explosive and dangerous as he is and he can still provide that level of path protection, you're in a pretty good spot overall.
• 4:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, not great, but in twenty twenty four, like I said, it bottomed out in a big way.
• 4:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: In just fifty eight past pro reps, he allowed thirteen pressures.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: His efficiency was only eighty six point four and his grade was nineteen point three and past pro last year.
• 4:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And like I said,
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't just Travis ETN last year.
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: He really struggled in past protection.
• 4:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Tank Biggsby was also very, very poor.
• 4:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was twenty five point three.
• 4:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: His PFF grade.
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: His efficiency was only ninety point nine.
• 4:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: So again, he wasn't even asked to pass protect nearly as much as ETN because he was not involved in the passing game.
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: He wasn't in the game in clear passing situations where the back is either asked to.
• 5:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: catch the ball out of the backfield or sit in pass protection.
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you'll look at Deerness Johnson as well.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: He did not do very well.
• 5:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: in past protection last year.
• 5:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was at twenty four point one.
• 5:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: PFF grade in past pro.
• 5:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: All of these guys had their worst career years in past protection for the Jag last year.
• 5:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that clearly something was a miss with the coaching on the offensive side of the ball.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that has completely been revamped.
• 5:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously coaching in the entire building has been revamped outside of special teams.
• 5:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I do think you have the potential here to see Travis CTN take a little bit of a step forward, get back to where he was and maybe even better in the past protection department.
• 5:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the reason that's so important is because he is a really good receiving back and he's a really good zone runner.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: He still is.
• 6:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously last year was his
• 6:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: his worst season as a pro as we mentioned.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: But to me, it's difficult to sit here and say that that was all his fault.
• 6:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: He did battle through some injuries last year.
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: The coaching staff also lost confidence in him and you also had a situation where the offensive line was abysmal in the run blocking department.
• 6:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that it was just a bit of a lost season for Travis Heteen.
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was still an extremely young player.
• 6:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis Heteen obviously missed his rookie year due to injury, the Liz Frank injury, really unfortunate situation.
• 6:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, and I think he said as much, was not a bad year to miss as a player because it was just hellish.
• 6:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: being coached by Urban Meyer in the entire debacle there, but twenty twenty two twenty twenty three is first and second year of actually being able to be on the field incredibly incredibly productive he's twenty six years old now and again he's in a contract a year so entering free agency he's going to be
• 7:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: entering his age twenty seven season.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: And obviously with backs running backs, you start to worry about the wear and tear a little bit.
• 7:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: But if he goes out there and has a type of year that he's capable of, I do think Travis E.T.
• 7:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: and can absolutely get paid.
• 7:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And making it a little bit of a muddier picture for him is the fact that you have tank bigs, but here's a talented back.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: The jack's drafted basal toton, and the jack's draftedly quintalent.
• 7:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: So there's a lot of competition here.
• 7:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do think Travis ETN is in the pole position for the most touches, for the most snaps.
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I wouldn't be shocked if he and Bigsby's carries are in a similar range, but I think ETN
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: is going to be on the down on the field and pass downs a lot more than tank bigs me.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: It'll be interesting to see if bashedl toton or Lee Quint Allen can eat into that work.
• 8:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think liquid Allen has the ability to be much more consistent in past protection and as a receiver than anyone else on the team at the running back position.
• 8:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think Travis ETN's explosiveness, that instant acceleration, the ability to bend and get low to the ground and really pick up a lot of chunk plays.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: might just keep him on the field over a young back like Lee Quint Allen.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, if he is able to play, I mean, you just go back to twenty twenty three.
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: He had over a thousand yards rushing.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, eleven touchdowns.
• 8:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: He had a big time year in terms of receiving in twenty twenty two average over five yards per carry.
• 8:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that was impressive too.
• 9:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's got the physical ability.
• 9:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's got the talent and we've seen him do it to be able to go earn himself a nice starting gig somewhere else and potentially be a very highly paid running back.
• 9:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: following the twenty twenty five season.
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think the Jaguars are going to be a team that's going to be investing big money in the running back position, especially after drafting.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Basial Tutan and and Lee Quint Allen and still having tank bigs be in the building.
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that the Jaguars are going to end up paying travesty to you in a whole lot.
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it would have to be elsewhere if he goes out there and has
• 9:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: the type of season he had in twenty twenty three but gets those yards per attempt up a little bit more which I think he will be able to with a better run blocking offensive line and a better coached group in general.
• 9:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's a chance he could be paid pretty pretty handsome
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's also a chance if things don't really improve from what they were in twenty twenty four that he's just fighting for carries somewhere next year.
• 10:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: So this is a huge year for Travis ETN personally.
• 10:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I also think what his output was output in twenty twenty five is massively impacts the Jaguars.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: If he's able to play more like he did in twenty twenty two and twenty twenty three,
• 10:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: and also keep the fumbles down because his first year in the league as a second year player his first year rushing and carrying the ball for the Jaguars in twenty twenty two he did have five fumbles since then he's been incredibly clean with the ball outside of that Miami game which everybody likes to bring up but that was his only fumble over the last two years so he has been clean with the football if he can remain clean with the football and continue to be the explosive player in
• 10:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Zone rushing opportunities, especially wide zone, getting the ball on screens, jet sweeps, and toss crack type plays, he can be a huge factor in Liam Cohen's offense.
• 11:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely huge.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Think Bucky Irving, but with a jet pack on, he could have that type of impact.
• 11:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: He really could.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Bucky Irving is a little bit more natural.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: at reading the holes in front of him and having a little bit better vision.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: But again, ETN has all the ability in the world to have a huge season.
• 11:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if he does, the way defenses will have to prepare for the Jaguars, they'll have to respect the run.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: They'll have to respect Brian Thomas Jr., and Travis Hunter.
• 11:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that could make for one of the more dangerous offenses in the NFL.
• 11:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, the good news for the Jared Wars, too, is if E.T.N.
• 11:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: doesn't seem to be playing more like that guy we saw prior to twenty twenty four prior to the fumble against Miami, there is a lot of competition.
• 12:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think you can piece it together with a tank bigsby, with another incredibly explosive back in basal toton, with somebody who can give you really good third down back production in Lee Quint Allen.
• 12:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it's not like that Jaguar has to be all in on Travis ET and having a big year.
• 12:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: four things to go well at the running back position but I do think he represents their best opportunity to have a back that can have a big impact in the zone rushing attack and as a receiver out of the back field and give them enough of a baseline in path protection if he gets back to what he was doing in twenty twenty three in that regard
• 12:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just think he has the most complete potential game for them in twenty twenty five and I do think that they're planning on moving on from him and all likelihood after the twenty twenty five season, but that remains to be seen how that will end up playing out.
• 13:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's just kind of my outlook.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do think he has the ability
• 13:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: to get himself back into the top ten running backs of this ESPN list that has, you know, execs, scouts and coaches all voting.
• 13:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what they had to say here about him in twenty twenty five is ETN failed to delivery third consecutive one thousand year at season for the struggling jags in twenty twenty four.
• 13:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: rushing for five hundred fifty eight yards and two touchdowns on a career low three point seven yards per carry.
• 13:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: How first year coach Liam Cohen integrates ETN into the offense will be among the story lines worth watching in twenty twenty five training camp.
• 13:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: I could not agree more.
• 13:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis we've already started to see some of the practices obviously with many camps and OTAs and all that good stuff.
• 13:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: And ETN has been present and Liam Cohen did go to bat for him.
• 13:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: He went to bat for Travis ETA and he said some of the stuff that he's seen about the trades.
• 14:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: This offseason was pretty silly and I think they value what he's going to bring to this football team here.
• 14:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: In twenty twenty five and I think Liam Cohen thinking about what Travis ETA's explosive ability can do for their running game and passing game.
• 14:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's probably got to get empathy excited, honestly.
• 14:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's where we're out here.
• 14:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I had an into training camp in a couple weeks with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and you all know one's training camp hits.
• 14:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is full steam ahead.
• 14:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate y'all tuning in supporting the channel.
• 14:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoyed the content, please like and subscribe.
• 14:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Y'all have a good one.