Tale of the tape: Is Jaguars' Fournette the next Elliott?
Conventional wisdom used to suggest it was unwise to select a running back within the top 10 picks of the draft.
Recent history suggests otherwise, however, with Todd Gurley going 10th overall in 2015, while Ezekiel Elliott won the rushing title after being taken fourth overall last spring.
Elliott and Leonard Fournette have been billed as the future of the running back position, the latter of whom was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars fourth overall Thursday.
The Dallas Cowboys' star evidently welcomes the competition:
The RB is back. CONGRATS @_fournette !
— Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) April 28, 2017
Here's an examination of how Elliott and Fournette stack up against each other.
Ezekiel Elliott
Height: 6-0
Weight: 225 lbs
Date of Birth: July 22, 1995
College Accomplishments: Gained playing time during his true freshman season at Ohio State. ... Rushed for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns during sophomore season. ... Named Offensive MVP of 2015 Sugar Bowl. ... Rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns during 2014 national championship game, guiding Ohio State to victory over Oregon, winning Offensive MVP honors. ... Ran for 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns during junior year at Ohio State.
Other: Elliott won the rushing title during his rookie year with the Cowboys, earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections, after running for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Leonard Fournette
Height: 6-0
Weight: 240 lbs
Date of Birth: January 18, 1995
College Accomplishments: Rushed for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns as true freshman at LSU. ... Ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns, adding a kickoff return score against Notre Dame in 2014 Music City Bowl. ... Rushed for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns during sophomore season. ... Scored eight touchdowns in seven games during junior year.
Other: Lil Wayne brought Fournette to national attention during his senior year of high school. ... Consensus No. 1 recruit coming out of high school.
Analysis
Elliott is six months younger than Fournette, despite playing a full year in the NFL as an All-Pro running back. The Cowboys' star is also a better wide receiver at this juncture of his career. However, Fournette's frame and skill set lends personnel to believe he may end up being a prototypical power back in the NFL and could immediately challenge Elliott for the rushing title. For the time being, Elliott has an advantage, but Fournette's combination of power, speed, and physicality provides the Jaguars with the every down back they've been seeking since Maurice Jones-Drew wasn't retained in 2014.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)