Whether he played last season at his listed weight or he was actually heavier than that, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was one of the largest players in the league at his position. Fournette is listed by the Jags at 6-feet, 228 pounds, making him one of just four backs in the league to hit both of those benchmarks.
It's likely that Fournette played heavier than that, however, given that his 228-pound weight was where he was listed at LSU's Pro Day, but he weighed 240 pounds at the 2017 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Was 240 at last year's Combine. 228 at LSU Pro Day. https://t.co/gmwqoPZ9Wg
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) July 23, 2018
A year later, Fournette has apparently dropped a whole lot of weight. He told Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he's down to 223 pounds, his lowest weight since he was in high school.
Leonard Fournette told me his weight is currently at 223 pounds, the lowest since he played at St. Augustine High School in 2013.
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) July 23, 2018
Fournette's 3.88 yards per carry average in 2017 ranked 144th among the 210 seasons from running backs who stood 6-feet or taller and weighed 225 pounds or heavier. Making himself lighter on his feet should help bring back the elusiveness he displayed at LSU, which was often missing last season.
The Jags need him to produce at a high level in order to carry the offense, which likely can't depend on Blake Bortles for above-average play at quarterback. If Jacksonville is going to be a ball-control and defense-type team, they need a strong running game; and Fournette is the best bet to bring that element to the table.
