Jan 21, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette (27) runs the ball against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Photo Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette expects less weight to translate to more production.
Fournette told the team’s official website on Thursday that he checked into training camp at 223 pounds — a decrease of 15 pounds from which he played much of his rookie season.
“I want to be great,” said Fournette, who rushed for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games during his first season in Jacksonville.
Fournette said he can already feel the difference from the weight loss and hopes to be more explosive after averaging 3.9 yards per carry in 2017.
“I have been more consistent on my bursts and stuff, just a lot of conditioning I have been doing in the offseason,” said Fournette, who rushed for more than 100 yards five times as a rookie.
Fournette is not concerned that fewer pounds will diminish his power-running style, but he acknowledged that the coaching staff wants him to run smarter at times to “save his body.”
“If the out of bounds is right there, I have to take it,” said Fournette, who was drafted No. 4 overall in 2017 after rushing for 3,830 yards and 40 touchdowns during his three-year career at LSU.
