Darius Leonard: Don't Have to Go to Power-5 School to Make it to NFL
Darius Leonard knows a thing or two about taking the road less traveled to make it to the NFL.
The Indianapolis Colts' three-time All-Pro linebacker hails from tiny Lake View, SC and played collegiately at South Carolina State of the FCS after being overlooked by the major programs.
In a recent interview with Master Tesfatsion of Bleacher Report, Leonard highlighted playing for HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and had some words of advice for kids with a football background like his:
This is one thing I wanna tell these people who are up here watching, these high school kids. You do not have to go to a Power-5 school to make it to the NFL. There are so many people in the NFL from the HBCUs. You know South Carolina State has four NFL Hall-of-Famers. Clemson has one, South Carolina has zero. Listen, if you have a zero star, that doesn't mean that you're not gonna be somebody. I was a zero star. I was under-recruited, but don't get discouraged. Just continue your path, and when you find that drive, people keep doubting you, people telling you (that) you ain't gonna do nothin', you've got to prove them wrong. Do not let them get in your head and say, 'Okay, I'm gonna fall in their trap.' Nah, it's you against the world 'cause when you wake up in the morning, there's only one person that looks back at you in that mirror, and that is you. So forget them and just ball out, man.
Since being drafted by the Colts in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Leonard has left a huge footprint in the NFL.
His numbers over his first three years are nearly unrivaled, totaling 416 tackles (26 for loss), 15.0 sacks, 9 forced fumbles, 4 fumbles recovered, 7 interceptions, 22 pass breakups, and one touchdown in 42 games. is nearly unrivaled.
Leonard has also been named Defensive Rookie of the Year, a two-time First-Team All-Pro, a Second-Team All-Pro, and a two-time Pro Bowler.
