The Jacksonville Jaguars struck gold with the pair of former Clemson stars in quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne Jr., but they had to wait a year to see the latter pay off. After missing his rookie season, Etienne cemented his spot as the Jaguars’ starting rusher with over 1,000 yards in his first full season.

Entering his third season, Etienne still has plenty to prove around the league. The longevity of running backs is always a topic of discussion and that’s why certain players are valued much higher than others at the position. This was reflected in ESPN having executives and coaches rank the top 10 running backs, and Etienne barely missed the top group as an honorable mention.

Etienne recovered from a lost rookie year to injury and showcased major splash-play ability. Etienne’s four rushes of 40 or more yards tied Derrick Henry and Justin Fields for a league high. He finished with 1,125 yards, which ranked ninth. “Good back, good speed, was getting healthy — might have a breakout year,” a veteran NFL scout said. “Not a physical back but can do enough.”

Considering he barely missed the top 10 and finished ninth in rushing last season, another strong year should force Etienne into the upper echelon of NFL running backs. The one surprise in the list was Alvin Kamara, who has seen a production fall-off in the last couple years.

That said, Etienne likely would’ve still missed the top 10 with a heavily contested 11-15 on the list. The rise of Jacksonville is simultaneous with Etienne’s and his home-run tendencies make him one of the most threatening backs in the NFL.