Chargers Roster Spotlights: Deane Leonard, Day 3 Dart Throw Turned Crucial Role Player

Deane Leonard, born on November 20, 1999, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, played his high school ball at Notre Dame, where he also participated in basketball and track. As a zero-star recruit from his high school days, Leonard stayed home and played for Calgary University, where he appeared in 23 games with the program, helping them achieve the Vanier Cup over Montreal in 2019.

His two-time All-Canadian status allowed him to continue his college career in the States, where he moved to Ole Miss and became a reserve option in his first year in the program. Going into his final year of college athletics, he earned the starting spot with Ole Miss, collecting 50 tackles and a tackle for loss.

He earned some draft hype for the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft, with NFL Draft scout, Lance Zierlein, describing him as: "Leonard's best football might be ahead of him if a team is willing to show patience. He has good size and strength to press and carries the recovery speed to get back in the play when beaten. He tends to lose out on playmaking opportunities that present themselves in coverage, though. He could be pushed toward zone-heavy concepts but Leonard has a shot to develop on a practice squad if given the chance."

Chargers Deane Leonard, CB Ole Miss

The Los Angeles Chargers saw the idea of giving Leonard time to develop his craft, drafting him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He instantly made an impact for the team, quickly becoming a corner piece of the special teams unit.

Leonard also began to earn some limited time on defense throughout his four seasons with the team, showing promise every time he saw the field. Between his small flashes shown on defense and his key role on special teams, the Chargers decided to bring him back for the 2026 NFL season in hopes that he would continue to lead the special teams unit and provide depth for the defensive back unit.

2025 Season Stats

8 Games Played (Missed Time Due to Injury)
82% Special Teams Snaps Played
5 Tackles

Measurables

Mockdraftable page is unavailable for Deane Leonard. His RAS Card is below.

Deane Leonard was drafted with pick 236 of round 7 in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 7.67 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 468 out of 2001 CB from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/Wa3N51GkwO #RAS #Chargers pic.twitter.com/RWmBorAfVI
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 30, 2022

Contract Status

"Deane Leonard signed a 1 year, $2,000,000 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including $187,500 signing bonus, $1,402,500 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $2,000,000. In 2026, Leonard will earn a base salary of $1,812,500 and a signing bonus of $187,500, while carrying a cap hit of $1,402,500 and a dead cap value of $1,402,500." - Spotrac

Deane Leonard's 2026 Season Outlook

Going into 2026, Leonard will have a roster spot due to his key role on the roster. But it is important for him to really show his development defensively, as he is currently slotted as the fourth cornerback on the depth chart, essentially meaning he will see minor playing time naturally, and major playing time if an injury were to occur.

Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google