JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Arriving at this moment has long been the expectation for Leonard Fournette. Before being drafted No. 4 overall on Thursday by the Jaguars, Fournette was ranked as the No. 1 high school player in the nation. That’s quite the feat for a guy who said he rarely watched football as a kid.
“I spent most of my time outside playing tag,” said Fournette during Friday’s introductory press conference at EverBank Field. “I watched more (football) once I got to LSU.”
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Shortly after being selected No. 5 overall in 2016, Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey expressed that he’s not accustomed to losing games and he doesn’t expect that to change in the NFL. Fournette shares that same mindset.
“I came from a winning program at LSU and in high school,” said Fournette. “Jacksonville needs championships and I think I'm the guy for the job.”
Making a statement like that would rub some people the wrong way. While Fournette is confident that he can help the Jaguars immediately, he knows it’s not all about him.
“My humbleness comes from my mother and father,” said Fournette. “I grew up in a tough environment but I didn't let it change me.”
Growing up in the seventh ward of New Orleans gave Fournette a dose of the real world at an early age. Following Hurricane Katrina, Fournette and his family spent four days and five nights sleeping on a bridge. It was a moment that Fournette said shaped the rest of his life.
“I started from the bottom,” said Fournette. “Coming to the Jaguars it's like I'm a freshman all over again.”