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(STATS) - Darius Leonard feels he can look at one offensive player across the line of scrimmage and have a strong idea what play is coming.
It suggests while Leonard was so instinctive playing linebacker at South Carolina State and why the Indianapolis Colts selected him with the fourth pick of the second round - 36th overall - at the NFL Draft Friday night.
The 6-foot-2, 234-pound Leonard, who was named the MEAC defensive player of the year each of the past two seasons, was the first FCS player chosen in this year's draft. He also was the highest MEAC selection since another South Carolina State player, defensive tackle Anthony Cook, went 35th overall to the Houston Oilers in the second round of the 1995 draft.
"He's one of the most underrated players in this whole draft," ESPN analyst Todd McShay said after the selection.
"If you protect him and give him room to run, he has speed and he is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker. That's a great pick by the Colts."
Using excellent length for his range, Leonard was in on a school-record 394 career stops, including 53 tackles for loss and 21½ sacks, with nine takeaways.
He was named to the 2017 STATS FCS All-America first team, up from the second team as a junior. He racked up a career-high 19 tackles and blocked a field goal in a 2016 game against eventual national champion Clemson.
NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said, "We know what this guy is. He's a dynamic, off-the-ball run and chase linebacker. He can play third down in your sub package, he can cover tight ends, you can drop him to a running back."
