Every draft there are players from small schools without big media contracts who seemingly emerge from nowhere throughout the process.
One such player is South Carolina State linebacker Darius Leonard who generated a buzz at the 2018 Senior Bowl with his athleticism, range, and ability in coverage. He is one of the new age “hybrid” linebackers created by the necessity of defending college football’s high-octane spread-option offenses. In an earlier age he might have been told to lose weight and play safety, but with the success of players like Telvin Smith, the NFL is giving players like Leonard a serious look at linebacker.