Atlanta Falcons: Top first-round targets in the 2021 NFL Draft
5. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
This is a little outside the box, but we’ve seen the Atlanta Falcons make a move up into the first round recently. Sitting at pick 34, Fontenot and company could have a player in mind to go get at the end of the first.
We know there’s a need at running back for this team, so maybe Travis Etienne is the player for them. Head coach Arthur Smith is bringing some outside zone concepts with him to Atlanta, so having a player with the burst, speed, and improving vision like Etienne would make sense. Etienne greatly improved with his vision between the tackles in 2020, anticipating where creases would open and attacking downhill. There is no true bell cow in the building right now for Atlanta, and Etienne has the skills to become that.
Next. 3-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft. dark
He will be dangerous against edge defenders, who will have to close space quickly because of his burst and straight-line speed, but also have to respect him getting to the corner. Etienne is improving as a pass-catcher, but adding the home run ability and his skills against collisions would be something that is invaluable for a team that has lacked explosiveness at running back.