Leon McQuaker, New Mexico State: 2019 NFL Draft

2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl Defensive MVP

2017 (Junior)
Appeared in 11 games with three starts… Started the last three games of the season… 36 of his 42 tackles for the season came in the final three games… 12 tackles and his only interception of the year vs Idaho (11/25)… 11 tackles along with a season-high two sacks in the home finale vs South Alabama (12/2)… Named Defensive MVP of the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl after recording 13 solo tackles to pace the Aggies defense.

2016 (Eastern Arizona)
Made a team leading 95 total tackles… Had 2.5 sacks… Recovered one fumble… Helped lead the team to a 9-3 record… Recorded 10+ tackles in five of the team’s final six games… Recorded 12 tackles in a win over Pima CC… Led the team with 15 tackles against Scottsdale CC… Posted 12 tackles versus Snow College… Recorded a season-high 16 tackles and two sacks against Phoenix College… Put up 10 tackles in a win over Butler CC to close out the season.

2015 (Fort Valley State)
Was second on the team with 55 total tackles… Led the team with 5.0 sacks… Made three pass break-ups… Recorded a season-high 11 tackles in a 50-38 win over Lane College.

High School
Played varsity football at Josey HS under head coach Raleigh Roundtree… Also played varsity basketball for the Eagles.

You know you’re a linebacker when you respond, “I’ve been a hitter my whole life,” was the response from Leon McQuaker playing the pee-wee days of his football career.

McQuaker was worried about making touchdowns he just enjoyed the opportunity to hit and not get into any trouble for it. It is a skill he has learned to perfect. In fact, he did it 120 his senior season with the Aggies to finish third on the team in tackles.

Shredded physique. McQuaker has good playing speed and brings the house on impact. Flies around the field. Strong pound-for-pound providing great effort. His nose and knack for finding the ball will carry him into camp.

The cliché of most rookie NFL prospects is their success at playing on special teams. This is a phase of McQuaker’s game in which he excels in being very dominant. A bit of a tweener safety/linebacker he may be best suited as a run-and-hit “Will” linebacker being covered and free to pursue the football.

His junior season, McQuaker was made a starter over the course of the final three games. He tallied up 36 tackles, three sacks and one interception, which help his earn MVP of the Aggies bowl game. The defensive scheme changed his senior year with he team playing more zone which erased many opportunities for McQuaker to pad his sack and tackle for loss numbers. He is a active well-rounded linebacker.

Special teams are going to be his money-making foundation to having a career in the NFL. If he can get his foot into camp and establish that he has a real shot.