Leonard Fournette: DON'T SIT OUT NEXT SEASON ... Says Maurice Clarett

LSU superstar running back Leonard Fournette should NOT even think about sitting out next season and waiting for the NFL -- he should play and try to get even better -- so says Maurice Clarett.

Clarett knows exactly what Fournette must be feeling -- since he was also too young to declare for the NFL draft after dominating at Ohio State as a freshman in 2002. He tried to fight the NFL, but it didn't work out.

Now, with the NFL still requiring players to be out of high school for 3 years, several people are urging Fournette to sit out next season so he won't get hurt and screw up his shot at a big NFL contract.

But Clarett says that's a mistake -- telling TMZ Sports, "What's to say he can't out do himself next year?"

"People always talk about the worst case scenario. 'What if he gets hurt?' Well what if he gets quicker? Gets faster? Leans out?"

Clarett says he spent some time talking with Fournette recently -- and while they didn't talk specifically about Leonard's career plan, Maurice says, "He's smart, he's humble, he's a good dude."