How much will 2017 picks make?
JACKSONVILLE — With his projected signing bonus estimated to be more than $17.8 million, Jaguars firstround pick Leonard Fournette apparently did some gift shopping last week.
Fournette surprised his mother, Lory, by buying her a Mercedes SUV and shared the video on social media.
As the fourth-overall pick in the April 27-29 NFL draft, Leonard can expect to earn a hefty payday from the Jaguars.
Spotrac, a sports financial website that compiles NFL player salaries and team payrolls, projects that the total value of Fournette’s fouryear rookie contract will be worth approximately $27,150,842 and the Jaguars will take a $4,936,517 cap hit in 2017.
Neither Fournette nor the Jaguars’ six other draft picks have signed their contracts yet. But they are all expected to participate in the team’s rookie minicamp this weekend.
At LSU, Fournette rushed for 3,830 yards in three seasons at LSU, which included 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2015. He is expected to provide immediate help as a workhorse running back for the Jaguars, who had only eight rushing touchdowns that tied Houston and Tampa Bay for secondfewest in the league.
All players drafted in the first round receive four-year contracts and their salaries are based on the NFL’s $167 million salary cap and the 2017 rookie compensation pool in which salaries are slotted based on draft selection.
Based on the 2011 collective-bargaining agreement, the rookie compensation pool puts a limit on the total amount that NFL teams can spend on the total four-year contract of a draft pick.
For Jaguars’ secondround pick Cam Robinson, the total projected value of his contract is $7,018,163 and he will earn a $3.2 million signing bonus, according to Spotrac. The cap hit on Robinson’s contract in 2017 is $1,276 030.
Third-round pick Dawuane Smoot’s projected contract estimate is $3,845,095, which includes a $964,161 signing bonus.
Fourth-round pick Dede Westbrook’s total projected value of his rookie contract is $3,076,156 and his signing bonus will be $676, 156.
Fifth-round pick Blair Brown’s contract is projected to be valued at $2,694,715 and his signing bonus will be $294,715.
Seventh-round pick Jalen Myrick’s contract is projected to be $2,493,666 and his signing bonus will be $93,666. The contract for fullback Marquez Williams, also selected in the seventh round, is projected to be $2,471,224 and he will receive a $71,224 signing bonus.