Leonard Fournette Will Enter 2017 Draft

LSU star running back Leonard Fournette has publicly confirmed that he will enter into the 2017 draft class.

Fournette entered into the 2016 season with many mixed emotions about his future and role with the Tigers. There was a lot of pressure put on him to serve as the Heisman winner and win his team a national title. That sounded like it was going to happen until Fournette was faced with some health challenges. He was dealing with a lingering ankle injury since august that forced him to sit four games.

There are some concerns that his ankle issues are serious and he could need surgery to repair damages in the near future. His value in the combine and NFL will depend on what medical professionals say at the combine.

Per Will Carroll of SEC country, "NFL scouts have told me Fournette that his medical check at the Combine in February is going to go a long way in determining his draft position. There's no question about the talent, but if Fournette is going to have these same issues, he may look to have it fixed earlier rather than later, giving him plenty of time to heal before training camp."

Fournette has been looked at as possibly the next great running back like Ezekiel Elliot, Adrian Peterson, or Todd Gurley. He got a lot of touches on the ball in 2015 (300). Adrian Peterson is the only player to have more just by 27 touches.

With a somewhat limited role for Fournette this season, he has still average 6.5 ypc and rushed for more than 100 yards in his first four starts. 

He will be an interesting draft profile for teams to review depending on the injuries he carries with him. Don't be surprised if he is picked in the first round of the draft. Expect him to be one of the most studied players at the combine.