Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard took the league by storm in the 2018 NFL season. If his upside is any indication, bigger things are in store for the Indy pass rusher in 2019.
Who would've thought Leonard, the 36th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft out of South Carolina State, would exceed everyone's expectations? Coming into last year's draft, he flew under the radar.
Leonard became the focal point of Indy's defense in 2018. He eventually capped off his stellar rookie season in the NFL by winning the 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
That's just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Expect Leonard to earn more accolades in his NFL career. For now, he can achieve three goals for himself and the Indianapolis Colts in the 2019 NFL season.
3. Pro Bowl Berth
Darius Leonard was upset he didn't earn a spot in the 2018 Pro Bowl – and rightfully so.
At the time of his Pro Bowl snub in December, Leonard led the NFL in tackles (146). He also had “the most tackles by a rookie in NFL history through 13 games to go along with seven sacks, an interception, six passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries,” per NFL.com's Herbie Teope.
Leonard could've given the likes of C.J. Mosley, Jadeveon Clowney, Von Miller, and Dee Ford a run for their money. It's a sure thing Leonard didn't watch a minute of the 2019 Pro Bowl.
That should change this season. Expect Leonard to stop at nothing to earn the first of many Pro Bowl selections in his career.
2. 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Not only will Darius Leonard earn his first Pro Bowl nod in 2019, but he'll also emerge as a serious contender for the 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Don't act surprised if he ends Aaron Donald's two-year reign.
It won't be an easy task, for sure. Aside from Donald, other perennial NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidates include Khalil Mack, J.J. Watt, Luke Kuechly, Cameron Jordan, Chris Jones, DeMarcus Lawrence, Von Miller, and Bobby Wagner. Leonard has his work cut out for him.
NFL.com's Chris Wesseling weighed in on why Leonard was a worthy candidate for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2018.
Leonard doesn't just pass the eye test; he's also generating numbers unseen by the greatest inside linebackers of this century.
He's averaging more tackles per game than Kuechly and Patrick Willis managed en route to Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
His seven sacks are more than Kuechly, Wagner, Willis, or Ray Lewis ever posted in a season.
Seven sacks in a season are gargantuan numbers for an inside linebacker. It speaks volumes of Leonard's otherworldly athleticism. Imagine a rookie recording more sacks in a season than a Pro Football Hall of Famer such as Lewis? That's just insane.
If Leonard (a.k.a. “The Maniac”) continues his torrid pace, he could very well end up the best inside linebacker in Indianapolis Colts history.
1. Super Bowl LIV Champions
The drafting of Darius Leonard and the return of quarterback Andrew Luck were just two reasons why the Indianapolis Colts turned a corner in the 2018 NFL season.
Without Luck, the Colts stumbled to a 4-12 win-loss record in the 2017 NFL season. With Luck and Leonard in tow, they won 10 games a season later – the most since they made it to the AFC Championship Game four years earlier.
The Colts should build on their respectable finish in 2018. General manager Chris Ballard has added important pieces such as Devin Funchess and Justin Houston. He also drafted high-caliber rookies Rock Ya-Sin and Parris Campbell.
Indianapolis should compete with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots for supremacy in the AFC.
Leonard, who led the league in tackles (163) last season, should play a vital role in the Colts' Super Bowl run. Don't act surprised if he and his teammates hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Miami In February.
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