Louis Leonard
Encyclopedia
Louis Leonard is an American football
defensive tackle who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at Fresno State
.
Leonard has also played for the St. Louis Rams
, Cleveland Browns
, Carolina Panthers
, New England Patriots
, and Denver Broncos
.
where as a senior he made 106 tackles (18 for a loss), seven sacks, and four fumble recoveries. He was a first-team All-CIF
and All-League selection, and was named to the Los Angeles Times
All-Central City first team.
at Fresno State
. After redshirt
ing in 2002, Leonard played in nine games as a freshman in 2003, recording five tackles. In 2004, Leonard played in nine games, starting three, and had eight tackles. As a junior in 2005, he started all 13 games, finishing with 26 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In 2006, his final season, Leonard started all 12 games, recording 26 tackles and three sacks.
as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 4, 2007, was waived on September 1, 2007, and re-signed to the team's practice squad two days later.
to their active roster on September 12, 2007 but was waived on October 6, 2007, after being inactive for three games.
off waivers on October 8, 2007. He played in four games during his rookie season. With the Browns in 2008, Leonard played in all 16 games, starting four at defensive end in place of an injured Shaun Smith. He finished his second season with 25 tackles.
in exchange for a sixth-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft
on September 1, 2009. He played in two games for the Panthers, starting one, and recording six tackles before being placed on injured reserve
with a fractured ankle on September 22, 2009. Leonard was re-signed as a restricted free agent
after the season but was waived on September 28, 2010, after playing in two games for the Panthers in 2010.
on December 15, 2010. He was waived by the Patriots on December 21, 2010.
on December 27, 2010. He was waived on August 15.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
.
Leonard has also played for the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, and Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Leonard attended Verbum Dei High SchoolVerbum Dei High School
Verbum Dei High School, colloquially referred to as "the Verb", is an all-male Catholic high school combining college-preparatory academic courses and immersion in corporate work environments. It is operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles with the sponsorship of the of the...
where as a senior he made 106 tackles (18 for a loss), seven sacks, and four fumble recoveries. He was a first-team All-CIF
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
and All-League selection, and was named to the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
All-Central City first team.
College career
Leonard played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
. After redshirt
Redshirt
-Groups and movements:* Redshirts , , followers of Giuseppe Garibaldi in southern Italy during his Expedition of the Thousand.Other groups and movements have use the phrase since Garibaldi...
ing in 2002, Leonard played in nine games as a freshman in 2003, recording five tackles. In 2004, Leonard played in nine games, starting three, and had eight tackles. As a junior in 2005, he started all 13 games, finishing with 26 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In 2006, his final season, Leonard started all 12 games, recording 26 tackles and three sacks.
San Diego Chargers
Leonard was originally signed by the San Diego ChargersSan Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 4, 2007, was waived on September 1, 2007, and re-signed to the team's practice squad two days later.
St. Louis Rams
After spending the first week of the 2007 season on the Chargers' practice squad, Leonard was signed by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
to their active roster on September 12, 2007 but was waived on October 6, 2007, after being inactive for three games.
Cleveland Browns
Leonard was claimed by the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
off waivers on October 8, 2007. He played in four games during his rookie season. With the Browns in 2008, Leonard played in all 16 games, starting four at defensive end in place of an injured Shaun Smith. He finished his second season with 25 tackles.
Carolina Panthers
Leonard was traded to the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
in exchange for a sixth-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
on September 1, 2009. He played in two games for the Panthers, starting one, and recording six tackles before being placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with a fractured ankle on September 22, 2009. Leonard was re-signed as a restricted free agent
Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :...
after the season but was waived on September 28, 2010, after playing in two games for the Panthers in 2010.
New England Patriots
Leonard was signed by the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on December 15, 2010. He was waived by the Patriots on December 21, 2010.
Denver Broncos
Leonard was signed by the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on December 27, 2010. He was waived on August 15.