Urban Meyer gives hint on how he may use Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer definitely looks to be bringing a number of his favored college principles to the NFL, and Travis Etienne looks set to become an example of that.

Meyer revealed Saturday that Etienne, who was strictly a running back at Clemson, is getting wide receiver reps, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that Etienne can play in both roles.

#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

As NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks noted, Meyer’s envisioned role for Etienne is quite similar to something that he liked to do while coaching in college.

Urban Meyer typically puts his most explosive player at the H-Back position. It’s a RB/WR hybrid.. Paris Warren (Utah), Percy Harvin (Florida), Curtis Samuel and Paris Campbell (Ohio State) are examples. He wants the most dynamic weapon to touch the rock. #DUUUVAL #Jaguars https://t.co/SBfFXp2RhV

— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) May 15, 2021

It’s certainly a hugely exciting outlook for Etienne if he can master it. That kind of player can be the enormous weapon in the right type of offense. He was a home run hitter at Clemson, so it would definitely be a different skillset in some ways.

Interestingly, Etienne wasn’t even the player the Jaguars really wanted at that draft spot. This role could easily have been someone else’s instead.