Imagine if the Jaguars had taken Patrick Mahomes instead of Leonard Fournette
With the Jacksonville Jaguars releasing Leonard Fournette, fans can only dream about what could have been had the team taken Patrick Mahomes instead.
The Leonard Fournette era with the Jacksonville Jaguars has come to an end. After only three seasons with the team, the 2017 No. 4 overall pick was released by the organization on Monday morning.
It brings to an end a tumultuous time for Fournette with the Jaguars, which included plenty of issues throughout his time with the team. For Jacksonville fans, they can only dream about how different things could have been had the team selected Patrick Mahomes during that same 2017 draft over Fournette.
The Jags drafted Fournette over Deshaun and Mahomes because they had Bortles.
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) August 31, 2020
At that time, Jacksonville was rolling with quarterback Blake Bortles, who had just helped the team get to the AFC Championship Game. The team of course went on to lose to the New England Patriots, but the thought was Bortles and the stout Jacksonville defense would be ready to compete for another AFC title and get to the Super Bowl sooner than later.
That of course never happened, as Bortles struggled immensely and is long out of Jacksonville. He signed as a backup for the Rams after leaving the Jags, but he’s currently a free agent. Meanwhile, Jacksonville is set to start second-year signal-caller Gardner Minshew in 2020.
Imagine if it were Mahomes, though? The former Texas Tech standout is now among the best quarterbacks in the game and helped Kansas City win its first Super Bowl in 50 years back in February.
Last season, despite missing two games with a knee injury, Mahomes threw for 4,031 yards and 26 touchdowns. The year before, his first full season as the starter, he finished with 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns. Those are video game-type numbers.
Leonard Fournette at No. 4 overall instead of Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes — because you had Blake Bortles — is not only worse than the Bears taking Trubisky at 2, it’s one of the all time worst draft picks.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) August 31, 2020
Had Jacksonville selected Mahomes and paired him with the team’s incredible defense, things surely would be way different in Duval right now. The team would be pushing for Super Bowls left and right. Instead, they finished 6-10 last year and in last place of the AFC South.
If only someone had a time machine. Then, maybe Mahomes could have ended up with Jacksonville. Sorry, Jags fans.
Doug Marrone inexplicably kicks Leonard Fournette on his way out. dark. Next