​Former Clemson Tigers star running back Travis Etienne has earned a spot on the NFL’s 2026 Top 100 Players list, coming in at No. 96. This marks the first time Etienne has cracked the league’s annual ranking. The 27-year-old running back enjoyed a productive 2025 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, tallying 1,107 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, along with 36 receptions for 292 yards and six receiving touchdowns. He played a pivotal role in helping Jacksonville secure a postseason berth, and in the Wild Card showdown against the Buffalo Bills, Etienne impressed with 67 rushing yards on 10 carries and five receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Looking ahead, Etienne is headed to the New Orleans Saints in 2026 after signing a four-year, $48 million deal in free agency. His transition to a new team will add another chapter to a career defined by versatility and production.
Etienne’s college career at Clemson was equally impactful and storied. In his freshman season, he posted 766 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns on 107 carries and added five receptions for 57 yards. As a sophomore, he escalated to 1,658 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns, along with 12 receptions for 78 yards and two receiving scores. His junior year continued the high level of play, with 1,614 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns, plus 37 receptions for 432 yards and four receiving touchdowns. In his senior year, Etienne earned All-American honors after rushing for 914 yards and 14 touchdowns and contributing 48 receptions for 588 yards and two touchdowns.
Etienne’s Clemson résumé includes a National Championship and two ACC Player of the Year awards, underscoring his status as one of Clemson’s all-time great running backs. He entered the NFL when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him 25th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, where he has continued to demonstrate his dual-threat ability as a productive rasher and receiver. Although he will no longer share the field with Clemson teammate Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, Etienne’s skill set positions him to remain among the league’s elite running backs as he embarks on the next chapter with New Orleans.
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