Leonard Fournette might be in for a rude awakening once Week 1 of the regular season rolls around.
The rookie running back entered the NFL draft with some pretty high expectations after his junior season at LSU and was selected fourth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fournette debuted Thursday in a preseason game against the New England Patriots and made his mark by scoring a touchdown on a third-and-goal in the Jaguars’ 31-24 win.
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
WELCOME TO THE NFL, @_fournette! #JAXvsNE https://t.co/VXYD7SyMFW
— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2017
So how did Fournette feel about his first NFL experience?
“It’s a lot slower than I really thought,” Fournette said, per NFL.com. “That’s how I’ve been since I first got into the NFL. A lot of people were like, ‘It’s going to be fast.’ But by me playing in the SEC, that kind of helped me a lot. I think, to me, it was really easy.”
Fournette rushed nine times for 31 yards and a touchdown against a Patriots defense that was without most of its starters, so preseason action probably was a bit slower than he was expecting. But Fournette didn’t say too much because, you know, he likes to be humble.
“I’ve had pressure my whole life,” Fournette said. “I’m built for it. No matter what the circumstances, I’ve never let the game get bigger than me and I’ve always stayed humble. That’s No. 1.”
Thumbnail photo via Logan Bowles/USA TODAY Sports Images