Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Rick Leonard had never met Zach Strief until last weekend.

But he knew Strief's work well.

Leonard has been watching Strief and the rest of the New Orleans Saints offensive line for the better part of two years, ever since he decided to make the transition from defensive end to offensive tackle.

Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett made sure of it.

"My coach liked to put on Saints film, he liked to put on the Cowboys, the Redskins," Leonard said. "Teams that our offense kind of mimicked."

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Leonard, a right tackle at Florida State, obviously kept his eyes on Strief, the veteran who retired in March after 12 seasons in New Orleans. Up until a torn ACL and MCL cut his final season short last fall, Strief was one of the best right tackles in the NFL.

"I watched the Saints offensive line a lot," Leonard said. "I knew who he was, and I knew he was a really good player."

So Leonard was excited when Strief jumped into the fray at the team's minicamp last weekend. Initially there to observe practice, Strief jumped into an impromptu role as a coaching consultant for the rookie offensive linemen.

As knowledgeable and intelligent as any offensive lineman in the NFL, Strief is the perfect resource for a rookie tackle.

"He's so willing to help," Leonard said. "It's just huge to have a guy around like that, that I can learn from and pick his brain."

Strief might be even more perfect for Leonard. A seventh-round draft pick who spent five years as the swing tackle and the extra offensive lineman in the Saints' jumbo packages, the 6-foot-7 Strief needed time to develop into an NFL starter.

Leonard, another 6-7 prospect, played defensive end at Florida State for two seasons before making the shift to the offensive line. With Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk entrenched as the starters at tackle and Andrus Peat a frequent replacement at left tackle in case of injury to Armstead, Leonard's early NFL career might look a lot like Strief's.

"Right away, I can see a jumbo role," coach Sean Payton said. "I could see him compete to be a gameday backup tackle."

Leonard's tools for the position are obvious.

Beyond his length and the athleticism necessary to play defensive end at a school like Florida State, Leonard has the right disposition, something the Saints saw on film in their evaluation.

"There’s a physicalness about him," Payton said. "We think that there is still some growth because of his lack of experience. He’s a big body, he’s physical."

Leonard knows he has a lot to learn.

Landing in New Orleans should help the curve. Under Jimbo Fisher, the Seminoles ran a pro-style offense, and although the terminology has changed, Leonard already feels at home in the plays the Saints introduced at the rookie minicamp.

"Everyone's got the same plays," Leonard said. "It's just that the terminology's a lot different."

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Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

This piece is well worth listening to.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Becoming a fan of his. Sounds like he is will to do anything the teams asks of him. Hard worker with a big heart, sounds like Strief

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

I simply don't watch enough ACC/Seminole football to form an educated opinion on Rick. For now I'm reserving judgment.

Good luck Rick ! Training camp awaits.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

This draft class is loaded with projects.....some more long term than others. There is something about every player we drafted that gives me hope that the coaching staff can get the most out of these guys. Without a second round pick we had to either reach for a player like Leonard or hope that we can get some value out of these players chosen later in the draft.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

It was a reach based upon your personal board, but where was he on the Saints' draft board? For all we know he was sitting right there at the top and they felt he had fallen into their lap. I'll bet you that all 32 teams have draft boards that differ dramatically in different areas based upon things those team's personnel saw that others didn't ... be them correct or not. And I'll also wager they different in the same way from those created by outside "experts" and fans.

I understand you are extremely knowledgeable in the area of potential NFL rookies, but your idea of a reach may not jive with everyone's. While there can definitely be "WTF's" uttered in certain circles there are also most likely a few "craps" and "dammits" that were uttered by other frustrated that he didn't fall to them.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

We can’t heap praise on Jeff Ireland when a draft goes well and then act like it’s all Payton and Loomis’s fault when it doesn’t turn out how one might expect.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Of course, I hope you are wrong in your fears, but how do you know that it wasn't Ireland that gave the "go ahead" in this case? Perhaps they all saw something there that the NFL rating service doesn't take into consideration. Perhaps they see him less as a long term project and more as a solid contributor for the 53 man roster in 2018 that can quickly advance to allowing for the eventual exit of the oft injured Armstead via a move of Ramczyk to LT? Payton himself mentioned the use of variables in the evaluation process that others are not currently using. And how much does Strief's ready availability factor into the decision, as well? That too can quicken any process and shorten the curve.

Let's see wait and see how the perceived "reach" turns out "post Ireland".

:bng:

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Yup. That's my point. Let's wait and see. In Ireland I trust ... and not only because I'm Irish.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

After the last two successful Saints drafts ... kind of hard for me to argue that these guys don't know what they are doing.

Trust the process.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

I agree. Not to say they won't get it wrong from time to time,but theyve been doing well.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

BTW...i don't think anybody can call this a reach until we see how he fares out. I'm still amazed that people continue to grade players prematurely. If Alvin Kamara would've been drafted in the first round,there would have been a lot of WTF going around.That goes for any playerr not taken in the first round that turned out to be a star.
For the record,I don't think this guy will be a star, but he just might be worth the fourth round pick

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

With your reasoning... Kamara was a reach as well. Look how that turned out so far.

I am a believer that you can't grade your draft until 3-4 years after the draft. You don't know how they will turn out/develop or how they will contribute that early usually.

Even second guessing these guys after the past couple of years is a bit much they have earned a lot of clout.

You also don't take chances... if you believe this is your guy then you take him.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

The O-line is the last stop for big men. Switching positions is difficult and it has to be damn near impossible to learn the nuances going from defense to offense in a short time. I'll bet Ireland knows talent and that our coaches can coach him up.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

I think this guy is going to prove to be well worth a round 4, but time will tell.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Yes we can...Ireland was brought here for that reason and should be trusted with the process...

I'm not sold on the completeness of the 2016 draft - DT Sheldon Rankins (C-), WR @Can'tGuardMike A+, S Vonn Bell (D) two picks to acquire, DT David Onyemata (C-) two picks to acquire, RB Daniel Lasco (D) and UDFA CB Ken Crawley (A-)...

A solid draft nonetheless, and this is the third year for these guys; but first round pick Rankins has been more SedEllis 2.0 than even Akiem Hicks; if not for Thomas, this draft really stings, especially when we used four picks to get Vonn Bell and David Onyemata...

And most folks here wanted to replace Crawley after his rookie season...

That would be correct and just to speak blaspheme, RB Kareem Hunt was there in the third round without taking oft-injured Anzalone...

Overall, yes, you have to wait it out; but a player can still be a reach at the time of draft selection which is the point I'm illustrating...

And the years 2015 BI? Think we've all been fans longer than that that we should remember all of it, good and bad...

If we're looking at a franchise QB, I'd agree; but are we now to forget the lessons of bad drafts and free agency moves prior to when Ireland got here?

It takes CBs, DEs, OGs, DTs, OTs, LBs, Ks, TEs, Cs, WRs, RBs, and you can't get all the starters and depth using two picks on one guy...

Staying patient as we did in 2017 and letting the draft come to us, allow the other kids to reach and make mistakes...



Good, healthy debate, my Bros, finished HB Steak and Peas - Think I'll have a Yuengling - Salud!!!

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

In the spirit of our discussion, thought you guys would love to see this...

True Story, can't make this up - I was actually listening to Old Chicago Tunes on You Tube while working at my desk this a.m.

This video popped up in the cue- Kevin and his f*ckery or maybe it's time to clean up the cache...

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

They must have seen something the liked back then.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

That's pretty clear and also why they felt they had to make the move when they did. If Leonard turns out to be another Strief then the move was a steal.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

I have precisely nothing to confirm my own opinion with except that I have a feeling this guy is going to stick and prove to be a steal. I hear he plays with a mean streak. Heck, he might just rip off some opponent's helmet and toss it 20 yards down field just to make his point someday.

:popcorn:

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

Loved and remember that move.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days
 

But he threw it like a wuss. I think the facemask got caught in his fingers.

Re: Rookie tackle Rick Leonard's familiarity with Saints offensive line dates back to Florida State days