Southern Illinoise University Athletics
On eve of NFL Draft, wide receiver Raphael Leonard eager to start pro career
04/25/2019 | 12:30:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. — When the 2019 National Football League Draft begins tonight at 7 p.m., Southern Illinois wide receiver Raphael Leonard will be watching from home in Starkville, Mississippi with family and friends. For the first time ever, ABC is set to broadcast all three days of the draft, including two nights of primetime coverage, in a simulcast with NFL Network and ESPN.
Leonard, who was SIU's team leader in catches (57), receiving yards (847) and touchdowns (7) last season, doesn't expect to hear his name called at any point during the televised draft extravaganza. As soon as the draft ends on Saturday night, though, he hopes to receive calls from teams looking to sign him as a priority free agent.
"About half of the teams in the NFL have called me to say they are interested," Leonard said. "They asked for a primary and back-up number to call, where I would be and what's the closest airport, because rookie minicamps start the week after the draft."
For a player who began his career at Florida Atlantic, transferred to East Mississippi Community College, and then finished at Southern, this last step in his career will be by far the biggest.
"It will be surreal to get the call from an NFL team," Leonard said. "I don't know how I'll react. I've been wanting this for as long as I can remember."
Leonard was one of the top receivers in the Missouri Valley Football Conference the last two years, catching at least one pass in all 22 games. He shined on the biggest stage when he hauled in six catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns at Ole Miss last Fall.
In a typical year, 15-20 players from the Football Championship Subdivision are drafted by the NFL. Many more get an opportunity as free agents.
Two of Leonard's former Saluki teammates — Minnesota Vikings cornerback Craig James and Atlanta Falcons safety Ryan Neal — took the free agent route. They told Leonard what to expect in the coming days.
"Craig and I have the same agent," Leonard said. "I trained with him in Florida for two weeks after the season and he explained how the NFL works for free agents and everything you go through. Ryan told me how things will be at that level, how you have be ready for your opportunity and it won't be handed to you."
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, one of the question marks about Leonard was his weight. Will he be big enough and strong enough to make acrobatic catches against pro corners like he did in college? While training in Orlando during the winter he gained 10 pounds without losing any speed. In fact, at his pro day testing he clocked a blazing 4.43 in the 40. He also did 13 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press. Those measurables, along with the spectacular catches he made look routine during games and practices, grabbed the attention of scouts.
"There were scouts from the Lions, Falcons and Dolphins who talked to me during my Pro Day," Leonard said. "One of them told me how well I did on the combine drills and that I really helped myself with the numbers I put in."
No matter whether he's drafted or signs as a free agent, Leonard is confident in his ability to compete at the highest level.
"I probably won't be a draft pick, so I'll have to work even harder to prove myself," he said. "I've been doing that my whole life since high school, so it's nothing new."
Leonard, who was SIU's team leader in catches (57), receiving yards (847) and touchdowns (7) last season, doesn't expect to hear his name called at any point during the televised draft extravaganza. As soon as the draft ends on Saturday night, though, he hopes to receive calls from teams looking to sign him as a priority free agent.
"About half of the teams in the NFL have called me to say they are interested," Leonard said. "They asked for a primary and back-up number to call, where I would be and what's the closest airport, because rookie minicamps start the week after the draft."
For a player who began his career at Florida Atlantic, transferred to East Mississippi Community College, and then finished at Southern, this last step in his career will be by far the biggest.
"It will be surreal to get the call from an NFL team," Leonard said. "I don't know how I'll react. I've been wanting this for as long as I can remember."
Leonard was one of the top receivers in the Missouri Valley Football Conference the last two years, catching at least one pass in all 22 games. He shined on the biggest stage when he hauled in six catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns at Ole Miss last Fall.
In a typical year, 15-20 players from the Football Championship Subdivision are drafted by the NFL. Many more get an opportunity as free agents.
Two of Leonard's former Saluki teammates — Minnesota Vikings cornerback Craig James and Atlanta Falcons safety Ryan Neal — took the free agent route. They told Leonard what to expect in the coming days.
"Craig and I have the same agent," Leonard said. "I trained with him in Florida for two weeks after the season and he explained how the NFL works for free agents and everything you go through. Ryan told me how things will be at that level, how you have be ready for your opportunity and it won't be handed to you."
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, one of the question marks about Leonard was his weight. Will he be big enough and strong enough to make acrobatic catches against pro corners like he did in college? While training in Orlando during the winter he gained 10 pounds without losing any speed. In fact, at his pro day testing he clocked a blazing 4.43 in the 40. He also did 13 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press. Those measurables, along with the spectacular catches he made look routine during games and practices, grabbed the attention of scouts.
"There were scouts from the Lions, Falcons and Dolphins who talked to me during my Pro Day," Leonard said. "One of them told me how well I did on the combine drills and that I really helped myself with the numbers I put in."
No matter whether he's drafted or signs as a free agent, Leonard is confident in his ability to compete at the highest level.
"I probably won't be a draft pick, so I'll have to work even harder to prove myself," he said. "I've been doing that my whole life since high school, so it's nothing new."
Players Mentioned
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