The sky's the limit for 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard. The unheralded rookie out of South Carolina State turned heads last season. Expect him to make a bigger impact with the Indianapolis Colts.
Our crystal ball predicts bigger and better things for Leonard in the 2019 NFL season.
Leader of the Defense
No rookie earned a more deserving nickname last year. “The Maniac” should wreak havoc on opposing offenses next season.
Leonard (163 total tackles) is the first Colts player to lead the NFL in tackles since linebacker Mike Peterson did it in 2000. The former also had more tackles than Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuechly. That's impressive.
Leonard also helped the Colts develop a better defensive unit. Indianapolis allowed 5,873 yards in the 2017 NFL season (30th in the league). Consequently, the team finished with a woeful 4-12 (.250) win-loss record.
With Leonard in tow, Indy improved to 11th in total defense in 2018 (5,431 yards allowed). The Colts' 10-6 record earned them their first postseason berth since 2014. With defensive end Justin Houston on board, the Colts' defense should hold its own again in 2019.
Expect Leonard to emerge as the undisputed leader of the Colts' defense. His fire and tenacity should rub off on his teammates.
Pro Bowler
Darius Leonard wasn't very happy when he didn't earn a Pro Bowl slot in 2018.
Leonard said the Pro Bowl snub still irritates him. Has high goals for 2019.
“If my name’s not on top, I’m not happy.”#Colts
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) April 15, 2019
Who could blame him? Why would the Pro Bowl ignore a stud rookie defensive player who led the league in tackles? It's hard to understand.
Very simply, the Pro Bowl is not an accurate representation of the league's best players. NFL Nation's Kevin Seifert explains why.
Of the 27 players named to the 2018 All-Pro Team, an elite group that combines the NFC and AFC, six were missing from Pro Bowl rosters (more than 20 percent).
The exclusions included Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard, who led the league in tackles, as well as three of the All-Pro team's five starting offensive linemen.
Notice that the first name which came to Seifert's mind was Leonard. The Colts linebacker would have helped the Pro Bowl sell more tickets for sure.
Despite the snub, Leonard will come back with a vengeance. He will not only become a Pro Bowler, but a front-runner for 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. He'll give Aaron Donald and others a run for their money.
Postseason Run
It bears repeating: Leonard was one of the main reasons why the Indianapolis Colts turned a corner in 2018.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard made some slick moves. He re-signed Pierre Desir, Mark Glowinski, Magus Hunt, and Clayton Geathers. He also acquired wide receiver Devin Funchess and defensive end Justin Houston. There's no reason Indianapolis will look back in 2019.
Leonard is one of the focal points of the Colts' defense. He reported to the Indiana Farm Bureau Center on April 15 weighing a trim 221 pounds. He told Colts.com's Andrew Walker he will be a better player this season.
I mean, what I've done last year is nothin' now. I mean, it's starting a new season, so the only thing I do now – and Coach (defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus) talks about it all the time – is just watching all your bad plays and just seeing how you get better.
Because they're going to be watching all your bad plays as well and they're going to try to get at you that way, so I'm just going to try to keep getting better and try to not put a ceiling on how good I can be.
A better Darius Leonard spells bad news for the rest of the NFL. He will help the Colts make their second consecutive postseason appearance. A deeper postseason run isn't out of the question.
Don't act surprised if these Colts make Super Bowl LIV. It all starts with Darius “The Maniac” Leonard and a much-improved defense.
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