Colts' Star Duo Named 'Most Dominant' Players At Respective Positions
With multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl accolades on their resumes, along with being on Hall of Fame trajectories, Indianapolis Colts star linebacker Darius Leonard and guard Quenton Nelson are two of the most dominant payers in the NFL at their respective positions, according to Bleacher Report.
Maurice Moton, a veteran analyst for Bleacher Report's B/R Gridiron section, tabbed Nelson and Leonard as the most dominant players in the NFL at their respective positions, making a prestigious list of 11 players covering 11 positions in the league.
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Nelson, who is in line for a record-setting contract extension at guard, is coming off of his third-straight All-Pro selection and is the best guard in football, according to multiple outlets.
Consider Quenton Nelson the unquestionable choice here. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, he's one of only five players and the lone offensive lineman to start his career with three All-Pro seasons. Though Nelson plays guard, which is associated with interior run blocking, he's an exceptional pass protector as well. According to Pro Football Focus, the 25-year-old has allowed just three sacks through 2,073 pass-blocking snaps. Colts head coach Frank Reich has considered Nelson a possible replacement for now-retired left tackle Anthony Castonzo, which underscores the team's confidence in the left guard's pass-blocking skills. Indianapolis ranked seventh and 11th in rushing yards in 2019 and 2020, respectively, thanks in part to Nelson's ability to clear rushing lanes. At some point in the near future, the Colts will sign Nelson to an extension that will reset the guard market. He's the present and future at his position. Two years ago, Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin would've easily won this category, but he's coming off an injury-riddled 2020 season. Having never missed a game in his career, Nelson's third All-Pro campaign sealed the deal for him.
The former Notre Dame star and likely future Pro Football Hall of Fame — and arguably the great Colt offensive lineman in franchise history — was the easy choice here for Moton. Nelson has stepped in and completed changed the shape and style of the Colts' offense, turning them into a ground-and-pound attack that looks to punish people week to week. In turn, the Colts have been able to rebuild on the fly and look to be knocking on the door of contention.
Defensively, Leonard went from a guy who was mocked across the league following his surprising selection in the second round in 2018 to arguably the best off-ball linebacker in all of football, racking up two First Team All-Pro honors along the way.
Though Leonard ranks around No. 5 of No. 6 in the off-ball linebacker rankings through multiple outlets, Moton has Leonard as the most dominant off-ball linebacker in the NFL, giving the Colts two of the 11-best players in the league, according to Moton's rankings.
Off-ball linebackers usually have thankless jobs, chasing down plays sideline to sideline, plugging holes in the run defense and rerouting receivers in the short passing game. Darius Leonard isn't a typical off-ball linebacker. He handles the unappreciated tasks and provides so much more to the Indianapolis Colts defense. Through three seasons, Leonard has recorded 416 tackles, 26 for loss, 15 sacks, 22 pass breakups, nine forced fumbles and seven interceptions. That shows he's all over the field and is capable of making a play on any given down. According to Pro Football Focus, Leonard has the most sacks and forced fumbles among linebackers since the 2018 term; he's second in interceptions. Like his teammate Quenton Nelson, Leonard will likely become the highest-paid player at his position once he signs an extension. Because of Leonard's sack production and his ability to force turnovers at a high rate, he's a more dominant off-ball linebacker than Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks. The former has more interceptions and forced fumbles combined than the latter (16 to 15) with six fewer seasons played in the league.
Leonard, much like Nelson, is due for a massive new contract and is on a Hall of Fame trajectory with the Colts, and could go down as one of the best off-ball linebackers in Colts history, should he continue to put up monster numbers week after week in the blue and white.
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