New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - USA Today/The Saints Wire: PFF impressed early by Saints rookie OL Rick Leonard

By: John Sigler | (8/19/2018)

New Orleans Saints fans and the larger community of NFL Draft enthusiasts were taken aback when Rick Leonard was drafted in this year’s fourth round. And while coaches have taken issue with Leonard’s day-in, day-out work ethic during training camp, there’s little to complain about in the rookie’s game tape.

Pro Football Focus charting has so far reflected well on Leonard. The 6-foot-7, 311-pounder has seen 39 snaps through 2 games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona Cardinals, but allowed just [two (2)] pressures on his quarterbacks. Among rookie linemen to see 30 or more snaps so far he ranks highest in PFF’s metrics for pass protection and 2nd-best when blocking on run plays. Expand that scope beyond rookies and he falls just 6th in pass pro and 4th on the run.

That’s impressive even if the sample size is small. What we can glean from this is that Leonard belongs in the NFL. He’s playing well against the guys that he ought to be dominating on second-string defenses – other late-round draft picks like himself and veterans on the fringes of opposing rosters. If he weren’t grading out well against those types of players, it would be a big problem.

Sure, PFF is known for sometimes-dodgy ratings. Ultimately it falls to viewers to decide how well Leonard is doing. That’s why I’d like to direct you to this great piece from All Saints Considered’s Ross Jackson, who dove into Leonard’s college and preseason tape to get a feel for the rookie’s best, worst, and most-likely outcomes. Check it out.

All Saints Considered - Setting the Scene: Rick Leonard