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2017 NFL Draft: Why the 49ers Won’t Draft LSU RB Leonard Fournette

By Chris Wilson

Nov 14, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) walks off the field after the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Tiger Stadium. The Razorbacks won 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) walks off the field after the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Tiger Stadium. The Razorbacks won 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 4, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneer former player Warren Sapp in the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneer former player Warren Sapp in the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Value Teams Missed by Drafting RBs Early

When teams draft RBs early, they miss out on both early-round talent and late-round RB value.

Blair Thomas

Blair Thomas’s best season was his 723-yard, three touchdown second year, mostly due to a fair amount of volume. He ended his career with 2236 yards rushing.

The next three picks in the 1990 draft included eventual Hall of Famers Cortez Kennedy and Junior Seau. To make it that much worse for New York Jets fans, the next running back selected, by the Cowboys at pick 17, proceeded to rush for over 18,000 yards and 164 touchdowns.

Ki-Jana Carter

Faulk’s Pro Bowl rookie season apparently had an influence on the Cincinnati Bengals, who traded up to select Ki-Jana Carter with the top pick in next year’s draft. Carter had an injury-plagued career, and only totaled 1,144 rushing yards in his career.

Cincinnati had the opportunity to draft a couple eventual Hall of Famers in the first round, including Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks. Cincinnati could have then waited two rounds to draft offensive Rookie of the Year, and future Hall of Famer Curtis Martin.

1995 was also Mike Shanahan’s first draft, and although he had no picks in the first three rounds, he was still able to land Hall of Famer Terrell Davis in the sixth round.

Ronnie Brown

NFL GM’s generally learned their lesson for the next 10 years, until the Miami Dolphins chose Ronnie Brown with the second pick in the 2005 draft.

Brown had a couple of respectable seasons, including a 916-yard, 10-touchdown season when Miami first unveiled their new wildcat offense. Unfortunately, the wildcat was short-lived, and Brown’s career soon faded away along with the offensive fad.

The Dolphins could have easily waited a few rounds to draft either Frank Gore or Darren Sproles; two players who still play today. They could have then used their first round pick on Demarcus Ware, or perhaps Aaron Rodgers, who would have become a serviceable backup to their journeyman quarterback Gus Frerotte.

Reggie Bush

When the Houston Texans passed on the most “can’t-miss” RB prospect in recent memory, the New Orleans Saints jumped at the chance to select Reggie Bush with the second pick in the 2006 draft.

Throughout his career, Bush was a serviceable player, but nothing close to the phenom he was reportedly destined to become. Bush never rushed for 600 yards in a season with the Saints, but was able to eclipse 1000 total yards from scrimmage during his one healthy year.

After four injury-ridden seasons, New Orleans traded him away for meager compensation. Bush experienced some success with his next few teams, although he rarely found the end zone.

Of course, if the Saints had chosen to wait for Maurice-Jones Drew or Deangelo Williams, they could have drafted a more productive RB, and also drafted either Haloti Ngata or Tamba Hali.

Next: Blueprint for How the 49ers Make the Playoffs

This all goes to show that even when a GM is “sure” about a particular RB, he’s not only wrong to draft a RB early, he’s also usually wrong about which RB to draft.