---

LSU running back Leonard Fournette has been dealing with an ankle injury since the preseason. A report said Fournette might need surgery to correct the problem.

---

Leonard Fournette will likely be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft. That’s if, of course, teams decide to ignore the injury problems Fournette has dealt with throughout this season.

Fournette injured his ankle before the Tigers’ first game of the season against Wisconsin and has been hobbled by the issue consistently. He’s missed three games because of the continuing problems, and tweaked the ankle again last week against Arkansas. The junior is expected to play against Florida this Saturday, but a report said that Fournette could require surgery in order to restore full functionality of the ankle.

That might not be good for his draft stock. Fournette has rushed for 803 yards and eight touchdowns, including a career-high 284 yards against Ole Miss on Oct. 22. He’s looked explosive at times and sluggish during others, especially against Alabama when he rushed 17 times for 35 yards.

LSU is 6-3 and has had a resurgence under Ed Orgeron, who took over on an interim basis when Les Miles was fired. Fournette is one of the best players in the country, but one has to wonder if it’s worth the risk for him to play on an already injured ankle when he’s expected to be selected so high in the draft.

Derrius Guice has proved to be a more-than-capable replacement, having run for at least 155 yards four times this season, including last week’s 252-yard effort last week against the Razorbacks. The sophomore is averaging 8.7 yards per carry and has rushed for nine touchdowns.

Should Fournette continued to be bothered by the ankle injury against Florida, the Tigers will turn to Guice again.

MORE: Indiana LB Marcus Oliver: ‘We Have to Feel the Finish’