He was deemed “one of the draft’s worst moves”.
He was rejected from his dream college.
Saturday, he was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Darius Leonard entered the NFL virtually unknown. While he had dreams of playing for Dabo Swinney in Death Valley, he settled on a small FCS school in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He would become one of the best linebackers in South Carolina State’s history, ending his collegiate career with 394 tackles, 21.5 sacks, six interceptions and eight forced fumbles. He completed his career at SC State as a two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.