2021 NFL Draft: Alabama sets first-round pick record in 2-round mock draft
By John Blair
![2021 NFL Draft prospects Mac Jones #10 and DeVonta Smith #6 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Gary Cosby Jr/The Tuscaloosa News via USA TODAY Sports) 2021 NFL Draft prospects Mac Jones #10 and DeVonta Smith #6 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Gary Cosby Jr/The Tuscaloosa News via USA TODAY Sports)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/1f5152e7b66762ecae3f927e001b91272e7d24811eb354e27d6d26e5dd25bfeb.jpg)
2021 NFL Draft: Round 1, 32nd overall
Clemson. Travis Etienne. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 48. RB. 32
One of the bigger questions for the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers is who will be starting at running back for them next year. While Leonard Fournette looked good in the Super Bowl, he will be a free agent and might not return next year. If he leaves this creates a gaping hole at running back for Tampa Bay as neither Ronald Jones nor Ke’Shawn Vaughn have proven they are starting-caliber running backs.
A running back that would look very good in Tampa Bay’s offensive system is Clemson running back Travis Etienne. Etienne would be a good fit here for a couple of reasons. The first one being that he is a home run threat that shows the patience and vision to be a complete running back. He also does a great job of catching the ball out of the backfield as he caught 48 passes this year for Clemson. This is something Tampa Bay was trying to do more with Fournette at the end of the season, and Etienne is significantly better than him in this area.
Another option I could see the team going with at this point in the 2021 NFL Draft is LSU wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., especially if they let Chris Godwin walk as a free agent this offseason.