Taking LSU running back Leonard Fournette with the fourth pick in the NFL draft on April 27 might be the best move the Jacksonville Jaguars can make. But there is a financial absurdity to it.
A rookie contract under the current collective bargaining agreement makes first-round picks relatively inexpensive compared to their veteran peers — unless a team drafts a running back in the top five.
Fournette’s contract would come in slightly higher than the one Dallas gave Ezekiel Elliott last year as the fourth pick in the draft. Elliott has a four-year contract worth $25 million, with $24.