Brian Leonard

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.

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.

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.

2004: Sat out the Syracuse game (10/02) after suffering a leg bruise the previous week vs. Kent State.

Campus: 4.52 in the 40-yard dash

425-pound bench press

535-pound squat

335-pound power clean

34.5-inch vertical jump

30 1/4-inch arm length

9-inch hands

Right-handed.

Attended Gouverneur (N.Y.) High School, playing football for head coach Joe Whal

Led the team to a 9-1 record and the Class B Section X championship as a senior

Two-time All-State selection and Watertown Daily Times "Athlete of the Year," adding All-Northern Conference Most Valuable Player accolades three times

Closed out his career as the state of New York's all-time record holder by scoring 696 points, totaling 107 touchdowns while rushing for 5,854 yards

As a senior, Leonard rushed for 2,398 yards on 234 carries (10.2-yard average) and 47 touchdowns, adding seven two-point conversions, as he also caught 23 passes for 529 yards

Produced nine consecutive 200-yard rushing games during his final season

As a linebacker, he recorded 64 tackles, including 41 solo stops, one sack and two interceptions

Rushed for 354 yards and four touchdowns in the Wildcats' 28-22 win over Ogdensburg Free Academy in the title game and scored eight touchdowns in the Wildcats' victory over Cornwall High

Was also a standout basketball player

Garnered first-team All-League and Prep Star All-American honors

In track, he competed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump

Posted impressive wins in both the 100 and 200 meters at the Section VII/X Track & Field Championships

Four-time honor roll student.

Labor Studies major

Younger brother of former Rutgers linebacker Nate Leonard (1999-2001), whose career was cut short by a knee injury. Nate Leonard served as a graduate assistant at Rutgers during Brian Leonard's first season with the Scarlet Knights in 2002

Born 2/03/84

Resides in Haisborough, New York.