LSU running back Leonard Fournette will not play in his team’s bowl game and will instead focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
Fournette and LSU coach Ed Oregeon made the announcement Friday and called it a mutual decision to allow Fournette to get fully healthy. Orgeron told reporters that Fournette will be remembered as one of the best players in LSU history.
Though his decision is not a surprise -- Fournette had an injury-riddled junior season and had already formally announced his intentions to turn pro -- it will be interesting to see if this becomes a trend. Then-Notre Dame star linebacker Jaylon Smith suffered a major knee injury in last year’s Fiesta Bowl, and he went from possible top-five pick to second-round pick who’s going to miss his entire rookie season.
Top NFL prospects have little incentive to play in non-playoff bowl games -- and even in the College Football Playoff, those top prospects have much to lose. Fournette was so good in his first two college seasons that he sparked conversations last year and again last spring about whether playing even another down of college football would be worth the risk.
Fournette was limited to seven games and 843 rushing yards in his final college season. He matched his 2015 performance by averaging 6.5 yards per carry but had just eight rushing touchdowns a year after running for 22.