Quote:There's a few guys I want above Fournette, but I'd be totally fine with him at 4.  I don't see the argument of "Well you have to have an elite O-line or you don't draft him".  Firstly, LSU did not have a dominant offense and because of horrible QB play, everyone and their mom keyed in on Fournette and he still had big games.  Yes, ideally you'd probably want him in an I formation or some type of formation that gives him more room, but he's a rookie also (well technically not even that) and you're hoping his vision and instincts improve also to where he can do just as well in a shotgun.

 

And unless Miss Cleo is posting in here, no one knows how good of a unit we're going to have this year or the next.  For all we know, Albert stays healthy and is a great LT, we draft a rookie guard who is a stud, and maybe get another guy next year and all of a sudden our O-line is dominant.  Oakland was a pretty good example of this.  Their line was garbage and they made a couple moves and signed a "backup-quality" LT (Penn) and all of a sudden they had a great O-line.

 

I think you underestimate the moves that Oakland made in upgrading their OL.

 

And it's not about whether he'll be successful. I think LF will be a good RB wherever he goes. He has enough pluses going for him for that to not happen (barring injury or just going to an awful situation). The argument is whether someone like him who you'll have to transform your entire offense around into having a lead-blocker is worth a 4th pick overall, especially in a draft like this where guys like Cook, McCaffrey, and Mixon are available in the 1st/early 2nd rounds.

 

Then there's other "big" backs too later in the draft that can give you that "grinding" running game...albeit without the explosiveness of LF (with possibly the exception of Foreman, who I'm not quite sold on either, but value wise, its there).

 

I'd understand if the Jags go with LF at 4 given the lack of premium positions that fit out needs at 4, but it wouldn't surprise me if any of the other backs taken after LF at a much lower cost end up being better than him in the NFL.

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