ColtFreaks.com - Indianapolis Colts Fan Forum - Sports media and Darius Leonard

ColtFreaks.com - Indianapolis Colts Fan Forum (http://www.coltfreaks.com/forum/index.php)

- Indianapolis Colts Discussion (http://www.coltfreaks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=7)

- - Sports media and Darius Leonard (http://www.coltfreaks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104751)

Sports media and Darius Leonard

I guess Leonard's agent had a pair of cleats made for him that listed all the snubs that have upset him most (missed probowl, madden rating etc).

I'm not sure that focusing on this stuff is entirely healthy as a player, but Darius is a unique individual, so who am I to say. I did look up a couple of them, and noted how poorly bleacherReport's comments about the pick in 2018 have aged:

Quote:

The Colts Draft FCS Linebacker Darius Leonard No. 36
2 OF 8

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press
The Indianapolis Colts' selection of South Carolina State linebacker Darius Leonard with the fourth pick in the second round was one of the draft's worst moves. They took four second-rounders, so they had plenty of room for error, but this one stands out as a head-scratcher.

In the 2017 draft, no FCS off-ball linebacker was taken. In 2016, the top FCS off-ball linebacker (Kamu Grugier-Hill) was picked No. 208. In 2015, the top FCS off-ball linebacker (Kyle Emanuel) was taken 153rd. In 2014, the top FCS off-ball linebacker (Jordan Tripp) was taken 171st. For whatever reason, we woke up Friday in a world where Indianapolis thought taking an FCS linebacker in the top 40 was a good idea.

The selection was turned in with running backs Ronald Jones, Kerryon Johnson and Derrius Guice still on the board. The Colts need a No. 1 back, considering their top returning rusher from last season, Marlon Mack, only has 358 career rushing yards and three scores.

Darius Leonard was DROY, first team all pro and made the pro bowl the follwing year.

Marlon Mack ran for 908 yards, 9 TDs and averaged 4.7 ypc.

That’s the problem with instant analysis of the draft, but fans want it. Leonard wasn’t even the top off ball LB taken that draft either.

Got me thinking a little. Here's the most current analyses I could find for each of the LBs taken before Darius Leonard in 2018:

Pick 8 - Roquan Smith, Bears
https://lastwordonprofootball.com/20...t-two-seasons/

Pick 16 - Tremaine Edmunds, Bills
https://buffalowdown.com/2020/05/28/...ng-overlooked/

Pick 19 - Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys
https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/202...layer-profile/

Pick 22 - Rashaan Evans, Titans
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/t...er-25-in-2020/

As an added bonus, here's a list cited in the Tremaine Edmunds article of the top 25 players in the league under the age of 25:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/t...h-three-stars/

Spoiler: We're the only team with two top-10 players on the list.

More offseason reading for everyone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaka (Post 165460)

Got me thinking a little. Here's the most current analyses I could find for each of the LBs taken before Darius Leonard in 2018:

Pick 8 - Roquan Smith, Bears
https://lastwordonprofootball.com/20...t-two-seasons/

Pick 16 - Tremaine Edmunds, Bills
https://buffalowdown.com/2020/05/28/...ng-overlooked/

Pick 22 - Rashaan Evans, Titans
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/t...er-25-in-2020/

As an added bonus, here's a list cited in the Tremaine Edmunds article of the top 25 players in the league under the age of 25:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/t...h-three-stars/

Spoiler: We're the only team with two top-10 players on the list.

More offseason reading for everyone.

You forgot Leighton Vander Esch

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chromeburn (Post 165479)

You forgot Leighton Vander Esch

Yep, missed him for some reason, guess it was late. Fixed. Thanks