While Leonard Fournette disagrees that Derrius Guice was ever in his shadow, there's no denying Guice is firmly out of it now.
A year after Fournette finished first in the #CFBTop25 countdown, Guice comes in at No. 5 following a breakthrough season in which he led the SEC in rushing (1,387 yards) despite have 5 or fewer carries in 4 games. He's the only player in LSU history to rush for 250 yards or more in a game twice (both last season, vs. Arkansas and Texas A&M).
Guice can't quite match Fournette's power, but he's a more elusive runner than his former teammate, per NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who sees shades of LaDainian Tomlinson and Frank Gore in Guice's game.
Pulling back the curtain on the vote
Guice received votes from all seven CFB 24/7 experts, including a vote for No. 2 overall. He's one of nine players who received a vote from every analyst, and he's the second-highest rated RB in the #CFBTop25 countdown.
What some of our analysts are saying about Guice
"Guice led the SEC in rushing last fall despite sharing time in the backfield. He has home-run speed and I think we'll see him more involved in the passing game this season." -- Daniel Jeremiah
"Explosive runner with a combination of power and pitter-pat (quickness) that makes him a natural fit as a RB1 in a downhill scheme." -- Bucky Brooks
"A flat-out home-run hitter with the ball in his hands, he can run inside, as well. Creates big plays as a tailback, a slot receiver and as a kick returner." -- Charles Davis
"Guice's elite contact balance allows him to take hits, steady himself and carry on with his run. Leonard Fournette was more explosive, but Guice is the better pure runner." -- Lance Zierlein
"Leonard Fournette's injury issues gave Guice a chance to show his wares last season. His power and foot quickness allow him to blast through tackles in a Jerome Bettis-like fashion." -- Chad Reuter
"As long as Guice remains healthy, the Tigers' running game won't miss a beat without Leonard Fournette." -- Chase Goodbread
Where do fans rank Guice?
We asked Twitter users who they considered the best player in college football. Guice received enough support to finish sixth in the fan vote, one spot lower than he finished in the analyst vote. Clearly, he's already one of the most popular players in the game, even though this is his first full season as LSU's No. 1 back.
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