Brian Leonard
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| Brian Leonard | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | February 3, 1984 (age 23) |
| Place of birth | Gouverneur, New York |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 226 lb (103 kg) |
| Position(s) | RB/FB |
| College | Rutgers |
| NFL Draft | 2007 / Round TBD |
| Awards | 2006 NFF Draddy Trophy |
Brian Leonard (born February 3, 1984 from Gouverneur, New York) is an American football player for Rutgers University. He is the Scarlet Knights' three-year star and has earned numerous awards for his play in the Big East Conference. He is regarded as both a fullback and a running back, and has been described as one of the top all-purpose backs in college football. Leonard is renowned for his athleticism due to his size, hands, speed, as well as his leadership, unselfish play and high character. He is famous for his "Leonard Leap", in which he will jump over would-be tacklers. Rutgers faithful have taken to calling him Brian "Beast" Leonard.
In 2006, Leonard started the season being promoted as a Heisman Trophy candidate. A video clip of Leonard, concluding with the slogan "Leonard for Heisman," was aired on the NBC Astrovision screen in New York City’s Times Square.[1] Despite being acknowledged as a Heisman candidate, Leonard elected to take on a diminished role as a blocker and allow Ray Rice to become a star. He was also named starting fullback on the 2007 Senior Bowl North Squad, where he finished with 16 yards rushing and 13 yards receiving, 3rd overall on the team in total yardage.
- "He's a very, very underrated player...he's the best running back I've played against since I've been in college." (This includes Kevin Jones, Julius Jones, Walter Reyes and Darius Walker) "That combination of power and speed is amazing. Some of the runs he makes in the open field, he can cut like a tailback. He jumps over safeties when they try and cut him, but then he runs over linebackers and defensive linemen. His combination of power and speed just makes him the best at what he does."
- - Pitt LB H.B. Blades on Brian Leonard
Brian has been active in the community and has especially done considerable work with children. In 2006, Peter King wrote an article in Sports Illustrated in which he selected Leonard as his personal candidate for Sportsman of the Year due to Leonard's on- and off-field accomplishments.
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[edit] NFL Draft Prospect
As an NFL draft prospect, he has been targeted by almost every draft expert and website to be the top fullback (as well as one of the higher-ranked halfbacks) and most likely will be playing a hybrid halfback/fullback/H-Back position in the pros. Leonard has been projected as a day one selection, as high as the first round. Since 1990, only three fullbacks have been chosen in the first round (Tommy Vardell in 1992, William Floyd in 1993 and Jerome Bettis in 1994). ESPN compared Leonard to Jaguars' back Greg Jones in their pre-Draft speculations. At the 2007 NFL Combine Leonard was timed at 4.49 in the 40 yard dash, which is exceptionally fast for a fullback and above average for a running back; also, bench pressed 225 lbs 28 times (most of any running back). NFL Network's Mike Mayock has Leonard ranked as the #4 running back in the draft. SportingNews says of Leonard that he was "misused as a traditional fullback... would prosper in a one-back set..."
[edit] School records
In the Rutgers record books, Leonard finished his career ranked fourth all-time rushing yards (2,775), fourth all-time rushing touchdowns (32), sixth all-time receiving yards (1,864), first all-time receptions (207), tied for fourth all-time receiving touchdowns (13), second all-time all-purpose yards (4,639), first all-time combined touchdowns (45), and first all-time career points scored (272).
[edit] Awards
- 2006 National Football Foundation Draddy Trophy
- First-Team Pro Football Weekly All-American 2004 and 2005
- First-Team All-Big East 2004 and 2005, Second-Team All-Big East 2006
- Freshman All-American 2003
- College Football News Big East Freshman of the Year 2003
