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National Signing Day rewind: How No. 1 overall recruits fared through the years

By Patrick Schmidt

COLUMBIA, SC - AUGUST 29: Jadeveon Clowney #7 of the South Carolina during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on August 29, 2013 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SC - AUGUST 29: Jadeveon Clowney #7 of the South Carolina during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on August 29, 2013 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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BATON ROUGE, LA – SEPTEMBER 19: Leonard Fournette #7 of the Louisiana State University Tigers eludes the tackle of Tray Matthews #28 the Auburn University Tigers and runs for a touchdown at Tiger Stadium on September 19, 2015 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The LSU Tigers the Auburn Tigers 45-21. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LA – SEPTEMBER 19: Leonard Fournette #7 of the Louisiana State University Tigers eludes the tackle of Tray Matthews #28 the Auburn University Tigers and runs for a touchdown at Tiger Stadium on September 19, 2015 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The LSU Tigers the Auburn Tigers 45-21. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/Getty Images) /

Leonard Fournette

  • Year: 2014
  • High School: St. Augustine (New Orleans, LA)
  • Position: RB
  • College: LSU

Leonard Fournette was getting comparisons to Adrian Peterson and even LSU head coach Les Miles likened him to Michael Jordan before even playing a game for the Tigers. That’s how special Fournette was viewed as a recruit. The 6-1, 230-pound running back ran for 7,619 yards and 88 touchdowns in his high school career before declaring for LSU at the Under Armour All-American Game.

Fournette got a wake-up call in his college debut against Wisconsin when he ran for 18 yards on eight carries. Afterward, Miles was quick to point out the hype was out of control and tried to downplay it. He rallied after the rough start to finish with 1,084 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown in the Music City Bowl vs. Notre Dame.

His best season came in 2016 as a sophomore when he ran set new LSU records with 1,953 yards and had 19 touchdowns and finished sixth in the Heisman en route to earning consensus All-American honors.

Forunette’s junior season failed to build on his sophomore season due to a lingering ankle injury suffered in a preseason scrimmage. When he was healthy, he ran for a then-school record 284 yards against Ole Miss but aggravated his ankle injury and only played in seven games that year, rushing for 843 yards and eight touchdowns. Fournette declared for the 2017 NFL Draft and was the No. 4 pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He ran for 1,090 yards and nine touchdowns as he helped the Jaguars win the AFC South and play the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Fournette’s sophomore season was marred by injury, poor play and a suspension for fighting in the Bills game.

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