No Jacksonville Jaguars player has spent more time playing with quarterback Trevor Lawrence than running back Travis Etienne Jr.
Before the two were picked in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jaguars, they were teammates together for three seasons at Clemson. The duo won a national championship together in January 2019 and reached the College Football Playoff all three years.
All that collegiate success didn’t translate into an easy road in the pros for Lawrence and Etienne, though. Etienne missed the entire 2021 season due to a Lisfranc injury, while Lawrence led the NFL in interceptions. Earlier this season, he admitted that his rocky rookie year even shook his confidence, at times.
Plenty has changed since then. Lawrence has thrown 14 touchdowns and only one interceptions in his last six games.
“You see him out there just making plays, just being the playmaker and I just love that he’s got that swagger back about himself,” Etienne said on SiriusXM Radio. “I’m excited to see it continue to grow as he gets more comfortable in the offense, keeps learning the game, and keeps feeling the NFL out, he’s going to be something special.”
Etienne broke out of a slump Sunday with 103 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards against the Dallas Cowboys. On the year, he now has 917 rushing yards with 238 receiving yards and he’s on the verge of becoming the fifth player to record 1,000 rushing yards in a season with the Jaguars.
But more important than the emergence of Etienne this season has been the ascendence of Lawrence from prospect with potential to NFL superstar. The reclamation of his Clemson swagger has had a lot to do with that swift improvement.
