Watching tape with Colts All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard

Colts All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard talks about his new foundation, his play on the field, and what makes him a unique player.

In just three NFL seasons, Colts linebacker Darius Leonard has become one of the most prominent players at his position. The 2018 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Leonard has amassed 15 sacks, 42 total pressures, 322 tackles, 45 stops, and three touchdowns allowed to seven interceptions in coverage. Leonard recently spoke with Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar about his new Maniac Foundation, how he wants to help others, his NFL career to date, and what he still wants to prove. Then, we dove into Leonard’s tape to determine what makes him such a great player in several different ways.

Doug Farrar: Talk to me about the Maniac Foundation, and what you hope to accomplish with it.

Darius Leonard: Just thinking about the things I’ve been through in my life, and all the people who have helped me along my journey. My baseball coach told me to never forget where I came from, and I’ll always find a way to give back as much as possible. My goal is to help almost every family in need — every child in need. Right now, we’re trying to start our Math Maniacs, training kids to fall back in love with doing math. Sitting in front of a computer, sometimes you can get sidetracked, and you don’t want to do it, so we’re trying to find ways for people to have fun doing schoolwork. With COVID, and everyone being inside, trying to get people to go outside and focusing on their health. Health is one of the main things people fall asleep on.

The third thing is helping families in need with food. That’s just the dream — the dream is to help everybody. I come in, I do what I do, I try to make as much money and have as much fun as I can, and I try to give back as much as I can. I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people around me who helped me out, pulling me up when I was down, and I’m just trying to return the same favor. I know what it’s like to not have too much, to not have food on the table, so I’m just trying to make sure kids don’t have to go through the same things I’ve gone through.

DF: You were a second-round pick out of South Carolina State in 2018, the fifth linebacker chosen in that draft after Roquan Smith, Tremaine Edmunds, Leighton Vander Esch, and Rashaan Evans. But you made an impact right away, led the NFL in combined and solo tackles in your rookie season, and won Defensive Rookie of the Year. What was it that allowed you to become such a crucial part of the Colts’ defense so quickly?

DL: Luckily, being drafted by the Colts. They play a 4-3, and the scheme is perfect for me — it allows me to run around and make plays. I think with me, I came in hungry. I didn’t have a big name coming out, and I wanted to prove a point. HBCU guys can play at the next level. We don’t get enough credit — people think that HBCUs don’t have athletes, so I had that chip on my shoulder to prove everybody wrong. I never got complacent. Going to work day in and day out, and each day, I tried to get better. I had a guy there, Anthony Walker, who helped me every step of the way, and I always talk about him when it comes to my success.

I remember in my rookie season, before training camp, when I popped my [quadriceps muscle], every day, before the day started, it was me, coach [defensive coordinator Matt] Eberflus, and [linebackers] coach [Dave] Borgonzi, we were in the indoor, just doing a walkthrough, and walking through every play, making sure I was fully understanding every play in the playbook. So, when I got on the field, it was just like, ‘Okay — now, I’ve got to compete. Now, I’m competing against the best of the best, and I’ve got to prove that I can play.’ That was the mindset coming in — earn a job, keep a job, and make some money for the family.

DF: Matt Eberflus became the Colts’ defensive coordinator the same year you came into the league, and I’ve always been impressed by the consistency and discipline of his defenses. What makes him a good coach, and do you think he’ll be a head coach eventually?

DL: Coach ‘Flus is very detailed. He never walks by a mistake. He’ll never let a player pass by a mistake. Everything he talks about — he holds you to a standard. There’s not a guy who comes in who doesn’t play hard. You’ve got to run to the ball, or you’ll be sitting on the bench. He holds everybody up to the same standard, no matter who you are. That’s what makes him a great coach, because you can have a big-time name, but you have to play for the team. You can’t play for yourself. He makes sure everybody buys into the system. Sometimes, you have to put your body on the line so someone else can make a play. He’s very detailed about everything he does.

Do I see him as a head coach? No question. I’m surprised he’s still a defensive coordinator now, because of how smart he is and how well he understands the game. After my rookie season, I thought he was gone, and each year, after the season, he’s having these head coaching interviews. I do see him as a head coach, and I do think he will succeed as a head coach. For me personally — it might sound a little selfish, but [Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker] Derrick Brooks had the same defensive coordinator his whole career [Monte Kiffin, from 1996 through 2008; Rusty Tillman was Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator in 1995], and he played very well in that two-high scheme. Hopefully, I can have him my whole career, because I think it’s why I keep getting better. When you’re in the same system for so long, you understand it. You understand how people are trying to attack you. I wish him the best, but I hope he stays here.

DF: Modern linebackers have to do so many things, and you’ve been really effectively versatile in your career. Were there things you had to learn and develop when you got to the NFL — things about coverage, or playing from the slot, or defending the run?

DL: For me, especially on third down, it was my first time where I’m almost a defensive lineman. I have to make sure I know how to attack offensive linemen. I have to know how to pass-rush. And then when I’m outside, covering a slot receiver, you’ve got to know who you’re covering. You have to understand with quarterbacks, especially if it’s an Aaron Rodgers or a Deshaun Watson, they see a linebacker in the slot… not like it’s a mismatch, but they take their best receiver and put him in the slot, you have to understand that they’re going to pick on you. You have to understand what routes are going to come. You have to understand how they’re going to attack you. That’s where it comes down to film study.

And then, when you’re playing in the box, you have to be disciplined and make sure you’re reading your keys. Because there’s a lot of play-action and outside zone action. Then, it’s either boot, or play-action, or a dropback pass, and you have to make sure you understand that. Because if you get caught up in the run, they’re going to hit you right where you’re supposed to be. It’s like any other job — you’ve got to be disciplined, you’ve got to understand the game plan, and you’ve got to be sure that you understand how to attack the guy that’s in front of you.

DF: The Colts have made the playoffs in two of the three seasons you’ve been there. What do this team need to do to get to and win the Super Bowl?

DL: Be consistent. When you look at the games we lost, it’s nothing our opponents did — it’s everything we did. Especially on the defensive side of the ball, when there’s a bust or you jump offside — things like that. You can’t have that. If you want to be a Super Bowl contender, you cannot shoot yourself in the foot. We have to be more disciplined, trust in the game plan, play 110% every single play, and find ways to take the ball away. We want to be the No. 1 hustling team. We want to be the No. 1 takeaway defense. We want to be the No. 1 defense. And if we want to do that, that’s what’s going to help us win the Super Bowl, the division, everything we have to do.

DF: Is Carson Wentz the guy to help get you there?

DL: Damn skippy! He’s a monster, man. Just watching him in OTAs and stuff, he’s got a cannon for an arm, and he’s huge. He looks like a tight end. I was eating breakfast one morning beside him, and he was so big, I didn’t know it was him, because everybody had their masks on. Then, somebody said something to him, and I’m like, ‘Damn. This dude is huge!’ You would think that he’s been in this locker room for about seven years. He has this presence about him and his leadership role, and that’s what you need in a quarterback room. We have a great offensive line that’s going to protect him. We have the best backfield in the NFL, in my opinion, and we have these great skill guys on the outside. He came into a perfect place to have success. We believe in him. We know who he is, and we know what he can be. I can’t wait to see what he and [head] Coach Frank [Reich] are going to step up and do.

DF: Before we get into these five plays, is there a play that comes to mind for you that defines who you are as a player? If you could show the world one play that says, “This is Darius Leonard,” which one would it be?

DL: The best play I’ve ever made was definitely in my rookie season, playing against the Raiders. We were in a back-and-forth battle, there was five minutes left in the ballgame, we had just scored, but we were struggling defensively. We call up a blitz, and next thing you know, in the open gap, I punched the ball out. I think that’s one of the best defensive plays I’ve seen — it doesn’t get talked about much, but that’s definitely at the top of my list.