Brian Leonard: From a Rutgers fan

[KingHigh]

I know that some of you expressed disappointment upon hearing Brian Leonard's name as your second round pick. I had to register just to share my thoughts with you guys about what kind of player you have just picked up.

Leonard is probably best known for his "Leonard Leap", where he just jumps over a potential tackler and keep running. It's a pretty amazing athletic feat that you don't see every day. I wouldn't expect him to try it very much in the NFL.

Besides the Leonard Leap, this is what you can expect from Brian Leonard:

1) A winner. He wins, period. Just watch him on the field. He does not ever fail in his assignment. No matter what his role, he will defeat his opponent.

2) Reliable blocking. Some so-called experts have doubted his blocking ability. This is preposterous. While RU has a fantastic offensive line, Leonard's role in pass protection and run blocking has to be recognized. His quarterback never got sacked and Ray Rice set the country on fire from the ground, usually through a hole created for him by Brian Leonard.

3) Receiving ability. He's got better hands than most wide receivers. A+ hands. He doesn't drop the ball. He catches it and then immediately turns upfield, where he can make big plays.

4) Rushing. He is capable of being an NFL starting tailback. There is no question about it. The experts are wrong. I've seen him play about 45 full games, far more than anyone who isn't involved with the RU program. Trust me when I say that this kid is legitimate as a tailback. He does everything a tailback should do and he does it extremely well. Sadly, it seems that his skin color is the only reason for the skepticism about his ability to be a feature back in the NFL. Don't fall for that prejudice. It does not apply in BL's case.

5) Character/leadership. It doesn't get any better. This is probably the most respectable and likable athlete I've ever seen. He "took a back seat" his senior season because Ray Rice is a phenomenal player, and had to be on the field for the majority of the game. By moving to fullback, Leonard made it possible for both he and Rice to be in the game together, which was a big reason why Rutgers' offense was so strong. He is a coach's dream come true. When he scores a touchdown, he hands the ball to the ref. He will never embarrass the franchise with a scandal. He will never be late to a team meeting. He is as solid a person as there is.

At Rutgers, Leonard was seen as almost Prophet-like. His abilities and character endeared him to the fans, the media and the NCAA. I promise you that this guy will be a big time positive for the Rams, and he will become a crowd favorite very quickly. Just give him a chance, and soon enough, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

I was a Giants fan, now it's all about the Rams!

[viper]

Great post, KingHigh! Welcome to the clan and the Rams. Really appreciate your observations of Brian Leonard over the years. I have to admit I really wanted a DE in the 2nd. But, it appears this kid may have been worth it. I'm looking forward to watching him play.

Go Rams!!!

[TheBritishRam]

Admittedly i was one of the people who swore loudly when i heard the rams had drafted a FB in the second. But from all the positives comments i've read of this guy i can't wait to see him on the field. I know he probably won't utilize his "Leonard Leap" much in the nfl as in college but just to see once or twice would be special

[KingHigh]

youtube.com/watch?v=Vp2WqYIttKg

I can't post links because I don't have enough posts yet, according to this message board. If you copy/paste the above web address, you'll see one example of the Leap. Enjoy.

[KingHigh]

youtube.com/watch?v=5TN0WRV7aZw&mode=related&search=

Another good one

[Torry Holt]

I think Leonard is a good choice, cause he's a real football player and every team needs a guy like him.

[Drew]

i for one did propose an idea that if the D players we wanted to sign were all gone by the time of our picks that we could trade down with say the pats and pick up Leonard at the end of round 1...i like the guy/player a lot and am happy that we have him...i would like to see how he`s gonna be used by linehan/olsen etc... i hope he gets to play more than a back up for SJ...i like hedge but i do think if not next season then with a lil more seasoning he should be our starting FB and with what he brings to the table, i dont think a round 2 pick is too much atall....i think the problems that people have with picking leonard would have been quashed if we had managed to get Charles Johnson in the third!

[Rambos]

KingHigh, thanks for your insight on Leonard looking forward to seeing him in the horns.

[HUbison]

Welcome aboard, KingHigh. Personally, I like the pick. At that point in the draft, he was a good value pick-up. It will be forever debated that the 2nd should have gone for more of a need position like DE, CB or NT, but when you have a chance at a guy who has drawn comparisons to Mike Alstott, and you need an all-around back who can lead block, take some carries, AND receive out of the back-field.......you might as well get him.

This year's draft seemed to be all about character (thank you Pac-Man), and Leonard certainly fits that mold.

[KingHigh]

I just want to point out that the reality is that Leonard is NOT like Mike Alstott, other than the fact that they're both white. If people didn't factor skin color into the equation, then they would be more likely to compare Leonard to Steven Jackson than anyone else.

It looks like the Rams are hoping to use SJ and BL interchangably, which would be great for both players and the Rams. But more than anything else, BL will do whatever the coaches need him to do to win.

[Fargo Ram Fan]

Quite a nice highlite reel of this fellow over at Yahoo's Ram team page. Very impressive. This guy may be one of the steals of the draft!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/stl

[mikhal5569]

I must admit when I first saw that we drafted some FB by the name of BL I was livid. But after doing my research and realizing the type of player we picked up I immediately became one his number one fans. I have VERY high hopes for Leonard and am thrilled to have him backing up Jackson.

[Keenum]

Welcome to Ram Nation and thanks for the info!

[KingHigh]

Thanks for the welcome. I must say I got a nice little chuckle when I read most of the initial reaction to BL being drafted. I said to myself, "these guys don't know just how much they are going to love rooting for BL."

The Rams have just acquired about 50,000 new fans from Jersey!

[RealRam]

KingHigh, Welcome to the Clan!! - Welcome to the Rams!!! :r

I really believe he [Leonard] will be our No. 2 running back by early in the season. -- Coach S. Linehan

Really appreciate your informative and exciting / encouraging 1st post! So glad you're following Leonard all the way into the Pros too, here with the Rams. That's what I call a true Rutgers / Rams fan!

Honestly, I was very happy when we selected Brian Leonard so early in our draft. I had seen a little about him in research prior to this wkend and liked what I saw. I just never thought we'd pick him at that stage.


Again, many thanks for your positive input, my friend.