Deane Leonard was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada where he attended nearby Notre Dame High School. In 2014, he helped his school win the Provincial Title while also lettering in both basketball and track.
Also a fun fact: Chargers teammate Amen Ogbongbemiga also played alongside Leonard at Notre Dame.
Following his prep career, Leonard played three seasons for the University of Calgary where he helped them win the Vanier Cup in 2019. In 23 games, he recorded six interceptions and was twice named an All-Canadian selection.
Prior to the 2020 college football season, Leonard transferred to Ole Miss where he’d finish out his college career.