At a NFL Combine-official weight of 240 pounds, Leonard Fournette resembles an intimidating linebacker. With 4.51 40-yard dash speed and an ability to break tackles, he could be a once-in-a-generation running back.
Jaguars’ Leonard Fournette runs like Tecmo Bowl Christian Okoye
Is the LSU running back a generational talent?
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The Jaguars selected the burly LSU tailback Thursday night with the No. 4 pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. They’re betting Fournette, a player who’s been a five-star prospect through every stage of his football career, can be a game-changer even at a weight more suited for a pass rusher, though he sported a slimmer look after shedding 12 pounds for his pro day in March.
Fournette’s hype crested in 2015 after a 1,953-yard, 22-touchdown season for the Tigers. His 85 broken tackles led college ball and made him a candidate to be the first player selected once he’d completed his third year of college football, then led some to wonder why he wouldn’t be allowed to leave earlier.
“Simply put, Leonard Fournette is one of the most complete running backs I have ever watched live and in person, and is absolutely the textbook feature back for an NFL offense. He has the one-cut explosiveness for zone running and the power for inside gap schemes as well, and he is a true every down back — dedicated and instinctive in blitz pickup, and with soft hands to catch the ball. Like Adams, Fournette was a heartbeat player for LSU, and somebody that has lived in the spotlight since early in his high school career. He should adapt to the pro ranks very quickly.” — Read More at And the Valley Shook
A relative slump kept him out of the discussion for 2017’s top spot — a bum ankle limited him to only seven games — but he showed flashes of the potential that should make him an impact runner in the pros. He set a school record with a 284-yard, three-touchdown performance against Ole Miss in October, but gained just 173 more to close out a disappointing junior year.
That nagging injury led him to sit out the Citrus Bowl rather than risk putting his draft stock in jeopardy at the behest of head coach, Ed Orgeron. He returned from injury bigger than ever. Most of his numbers at the event underwhelmed, but that 40 time, even though it ranked 10th in position group, was impressive, given his size.
Can Fournette’s power running lead to success in the NFL?
Fournette’s collegiate running style is best described as “Christian Okoye in Tecmo Super Bowl.” He constantly powered through tackles in the SEC, using fluid hips to create space and then ripping through holes as defenders bounced off him. He explodes at the line of scrimmage, turning small creases into big gains and driving tacklers backward with his impressive lower-body drive.
He doesn’t have the kind of juke moves to break ankles in the secondary, but it doesn’t really matter when you’ve got his kind of power.
He accelerates well once he finds a point of attack, and while he isn’t the most patient runner, his size and speed allow him to spin straw into gold. Defenders trying to go high to tackle him are just begging to be on the wrong side of a highlight reel. While he doesn’t have elite straight-line speed, he’s fast enough to create separation in the open field. It’s not an easy task to catch him from behind.
When opponents go low to tackle him, he has a strong enough base to plant and re-adjust his angle of attack. He’s also athletic enough to hurdle diving cornerbacks and keep his momentum moving upfield.
Furthermore, his size allows him to be a useful pass blocker in the pocket, when he wants to be. Fournette whiffed on his share of blocks at LSU, but has the potential to be an extra asset in protection.
How could he fail to live up to his draft status?
Fournette isn’t an elusive tailback who can make defenders miss in a phone booth. He’s a bruising runner who so invested in his power-running style he once bulked all the way up to 240 pounds. That’s a useful niche to own, especially in short yardage situations, but it raises questions about his longevity. He’s likely to absorb multiple hits every time he touches the ball, and that already led to significant lost time in 2016.
He may be shying away from that strategy — he’s currently a mere 228 pounds — but his style and injury history are enough to give executives pause.
He hasn’t shown much in terms of receiving out of the backfield, having caught only 41 passes in 32 games for his college career. He needs to polish that skill — and become more patient and wait for holes to open up along his line rather than force bad runs — to be a dynamic, three-down back in the NFL.
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