Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars take Leonard Fournette with No. 4 pick in NFL Draft

Published Apr. 27, 2017 10:24 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

Despite lingering questions at quarterback, the Jacksonville Jaguars opted to use the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft on a running back, taking former LSU star Leonard Fournette on Thursday night.

Fournette was a dominant force during his three years with the Tigers, averaging 6.2 yards per carry during his college career. An ankle injury last season limited him to only seven games, but he was still productive, finishing with 843 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Fournette’s bruising running style should be a welcome sight for the Jaguars, who finished 22nd in rushing last season using a combination of T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory. Jacksonville hasn’t picked up Blake Bortles’ fifth-year option, leaving many to wonder whether the franchise will go in a different direction at quarterback in 2018.

"He's special," Jaguars executive vice president Tom Coughlin said, via the Associated Press. "We need playmakers. We need people to put the ball in the end zone. We need to do something about balance. We need to do something about creating a better situation where the quarterback doesn't have the entire game on his shoulders."