Pro Bowl 2019 substitutions

ILB Darius Leonard instead of either inside linebacker (AFC)

Leonard has sideline-to-sideline speed, he can shoot gaps and leverage himself correctly against blockers

As I have stated on many occasions, I believe Colts linebacker Darius Leonard is the clear-cut Defensive Rookie of the Year, even with Vander Esch making noise.

Purely the fact that he has 22 more tackles than the next-closest defender should already put him in the Pro Bowl – and I believe tackles are a meaningless statistic for the most part. However, there are so many other statistics that make the argument for Leonard.

Twelve of those tackles have gone for loss, he has recorded seven sacks, seven PBUs, an interception, four forced fumbles and two more recovered.

With all that being said, it’s even more impressive when you watch the rookie out of South Carolina State play.

Leonard has sideline-to-sideline speed, he can shoot gaps and leverage himself correctly against blockers, he can track down ball-carriers running to the edges, he is a tremendous designed and reactionary blitzer and last Sunday versus the Cowboys, Matt Eberflus even let him cover Cole Beasley one-on-one in the slot.

I can not talk enough about this kid, because I really liked his college tape but nowhere could I have imagined that he’d play at this level his first year in the league.

I don’t want to question the value to their respective teams, but Leonard has made so many more impact plays than C.J. Mosley or Bernardrick McKinney as far as inside linebackers go. I’m not totally sure if they classified him as an inside or outside linebacker, bringing me back to my original comment, but the rook should have made the cut at either spot.

Leonard stays on the field for more than 90 percent of the Colts snaps. He stays in on the goal-line, but he also is their only linebacker in dime packages a lot of times. This dude just flies around and makes plays. Right now he might be my second choice at inside backer for the All-Pro team.