Quiet couple of years for 'RBU' in NFL draft. Trevor Etienne next up for Georgia football

It’s been a down couple of years for ‘RBU’ as Georgia football is fond of referring to itself.

At least when it comes to the NFL Draft.

Georgia has gone back-to-back years without a running back going in the first two rounds of the draft for the first time since 2016 and 2017.

The school produced running backs that went in the first round in 2015 with Todd Gurley and 2018 with Sony Michel and in the second round in 2018 with Nick Chubb, in 2020 with D’Andre Swift and 2022 with James Cook.

Kenny McIntosh was a seventh-round pick in 2023. Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards went undrafted this year before signing as free agents.

Florida transfer Trevor Etienne will have a chance to change that with a big junior season with the Bulldogs where he figures to be a pivotal piece of the offense.

“He's a good back,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the G-Day spring game. “He's explosive. He’s quick in and out of the hole. He's different than what we've had. I think the Swift analogy is good, the Cook analogy is good.”

If Etienne doesn’t go as high in the draft as Cook or Swift—second-rounder Jonathon Brooks from Texas was only running back picked before the third round this year--he could go in the range of Zamir White in 2022 when he went in the fourth round.

“I think he’s going to bring a lot of explosiveness,” said wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, a former teammate of Etienne’s at Florida who was a first round pick last week by the 49ers. “He’s an explosive runner. Any time he has the ball in his hands, he can make that explosive play.”

The 5-foot-9, 205-pound Etienne showed a good burst on G-Day with a run up the middle on a day he had 24 rushing yards on 4 carries and flashed has pass catching ability out of the backfield with 3 catches for 33 yards.

“On the field, you guys know what he can do,” offensive tackle Earnest Greene said. “He’s a really good back. Really explosive, really good eyes, good vision. Tries to set up the holes.”

Trajan Jeffcoat, a defensive lineman, was part of a Missouri defense that Etienne rushed for 88 yards on 10 carries against in 2022 including a 39-yard run. Jeffcoat transferred to Arkansas and saw Etienne rush for 80 yards on 12 carries last season against the Razorbacks including a 26-yard touchdown run.

“He can find some gaps and get it,” Jeffcoat said.

Defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson, a fourth round-pick for Jacksonville, saw Etienne up close rush on a day he rhad touchdowns of 7, 21 and 5 in a 52-35 LSU win last season.

“Trevor’s a really great player,” Jefferson said. “Twitchy, has speed.”

Etienne came to Georgia after rushing for 1,472 yards and 15 touchdowns in two seasons at Florida with 30 catches for 238 yards and a touchdown, but also with a reputation of needing to improve in pass protection.

“He's really taken a lot of personal pride in working on his protection,” Smart said. “He's learning the offense. I mean, look, the guy's been a good SEC player for two years. It's not like he's a freshman.”

Etienne is facing a suspension when Georgia opens the season against Clemson in Atlanta after his arrest for DUI and reckless driving on March 24.

“I’ve been proud of the way he’s handled everything since his deal,” Smart said.

Players have still continued to praise what he’s brought to the program.

“He’s great for the locker room, really a glue guy,” Greene said. “Always brings the energy.”

Said Smart this spring: “In terms of his efforts and practice habits, we have encouraged him to give great effort, run the ball pass the last defender. He is a sponge. He has absorbed that. He has enjoyed getting pushed.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Gator transfer Trevor Etienne brings different look to UGA football RBs