Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard has proven in his two seasons that he’s here to stay as an elite talent in the middle of the defense, and he continues to be held in high regard amongst his peers.
Though there is an argument that Leonard should be higher on the list, ESPN ranked the former second-round pick as the fourth-best player at his position entering the 2020 season.
There isn’t a statistical area in which Darius Leonard doesn’t excel.
The Colts selected Leonard in the second round of the 2018 draft and in return Leonard has provided 12 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, 15 pass deflections and seven interceptions. Since individual sacks became official in 1982, Leonard and Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher are the only players with 10 sacks and five interceptions in their first two seasons.
He’ll pick you off, then make people miss, averaging 18.6 yards per interception return through two seasons. He drives on the ball like a throwback.
“Probably not as close to peak Wagner physically, but he’s so tall and long and forceful with a really unique skill set that he can just get involved in everything,” said a veteran NFL defensive back. “Good change of direction, and he uses his frame really well.”
One AFC scout said Leonard might be best in a zone defense that allows him to chase and pursue. But the Colts have involved Leonard in multiple coverages. His tackles were down slightly, from 163 in 2018 to 121 in 13 games last season, but the Colts experimented with defensive front tweaks where Leonard didn’t have to clean up all of the time.
“I love that guy,” said one veteran NFL offensive assistant coach. “He can change the game.”
Leonard has been a statistical wonder since entering the league in 2018. His length, range and tackling ability have made him arguably the best run defender among linebackers while his seven career interceptions have shown he is making an impact in the passing game as well.
The sky is truly the limit on what Leonard can be in terms of an elite talent and as long as he can stay on the field, he’s likely to climb this list when the 2020 campaign is all said and done.