Name: Brian Leonard
College: Rutgers Number: 23
Height: 6-1 Weight: 224
Position: FB Pos2: RB
Class/Draft Year: Sr/2007
40 Time: 4.56 40 Low: 4.52 40 High: 4.62
Projected Round: 2-3
Rated number 1 out of 51 FB's
63/2338 TOTAL
Analysis
Positives: Solidly built with above-average strength, thick thighs and calves, good bubble, tight waist, broad shoulders and good arm-muscle definition...Has excellent speed for his position, showing the upper-body strength and leg drive to create and maintain a rush lane as a lead blocker...Has a good short area burst through the creases and the change-of-direction agility to make the initial tackler miss...Shows the plant-and-drive agility to make precise cuts...Has very good balance and body control throughout his stride, demonstrating fluid flexibility and quickness getting to top acceleration...Has good vision to locate and neutralize the blitz and an excellent feel for the soft spots in the zone, consistently getting there, to make the underneath catch...Comes out of his stance quickly and with good urgency, running at the proper pad level with legs churning to push the pile...Has the quickness to explode through the holes and the cutback agility to make the initial tackler miss...Generates the speed to pull away from linebackers and safeties after the catch and is quick enough in his stride to be a valid deep threat...Has the loose hips to elude and makes sharp cuts to separate in his patterns...Displays good field vision, showing patience setting up his blocks when carrying the ball...Alert to stunts and blitzes, showing good slide to neutralize edge rushers...Has the strong base and balance to bounce off of tacklers and maintain his stride...Bruising runner between the tackles with the loose hips to change direction quickly...Picks up his feet nicely to get through traffic and is nimble enough to redirect and cut back outside when the inside hole is clogged...With his sharp cutting agility and burst, Leonard has had good success separating after the catch...Holds the ball secure to his chest when running inside and in the outside hand when turning the corner...Shows very good hands on toss plays and, even when he gets erect in his stance, he is conscious of protecting the ball...Has the speed to separate after the catch and the power to obliterate the smaller defender that tries to get in his path...Is especially effective on swing and middle screens, flat and wheel routes...Has good hip snap maintaining blocking position to protect the pocket and shows urgency facing up...Good cut blocker who shows alertness picking up the blitz.
Negatives: When he gets too erect in his stance, he will lose some base and get pushed back through the rush lane...While Leonard has had success bouncing outside to gain yardage in the past, he was used mostly on runs between the tackles as a senior...Seems to have the speed to get outside, make the cut and turn it up the field, but he tends to lose his body lean and get too high in his stance, leaving his feet exposed for shoestring tackles...Runs with good forward lean between tackles, but must learn to keep the same pad level on cuts to the perimeter...Effective lead blocker, but despite his strength as a runner, he fails to generate much pop on contact with his hands...Flashes good speed cutting on the edge, but must generate a stronger kick-out and hand technique in attempts to sustain.
Compares To: JUSTIN GRIFFITH, Atlanta Falcons (Mississippi State)...Leonard is not the physically imposing blocker Tampa Bay's Mike Alstott is but, like Griffith, he generates excellent quickness out of his stance, precise cutback agility and natural hands to be a legitimate receiving threat. He made strides as a lead blocker, but might be best utilized as a halfback in a one-back offense.
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