Rodney McLeod is a strong safety who displayed very good coverage skills at the University of Virginia. At the Virginia pro-day he measured in at 5’ 9-1/2” and 185 pounds. McLeod was named All-ACC Honorable Mention for his 2011 senior season. He's has had knee injuries that have kept him from playing a full season.
I talked to McLeod after his pro day workout and asked him about his All-ACC award and what it meant to him. He told me “it’s a great accomplishment to be recognized by both the coaches and the ACC” and that “just to know that all the hard work paid off from summer workouts to winter workouts and during the year, so I feel honored.”
McLeod had an incredible 10th week of his senior season playing against Maryland this past year. He intercepted three passes in an 18 minute span of play. I asked him if he was in "the zone" and what it was like. He told me that “the first interception was big. We needed it because they were in the red zone.”
“We were getting pressure and the pressure got there and the quarterback, I think he thought we were in man coverage but we were actually in zone and I just happened to step right up front.” He went on to describe that the interceptions just started to add up and that the whole team was fired up.
“I definitely put myself in good position and the coach made great calls. I guess it just had the magic that day.” Both of his final interceptions came on fourth down.
I asked him about the scheme that Virginia ran for the safeties, whether they played quarters and how they lined up. He said “it’s basically strong and free” and that he played strong safety most of his time at UVA because most of the time the strong safety lined up on the number two wide receiver.”
He said that the staff at Virginia liked his coverage skills and they put him back there because of his coverage ability. They like him covering the other teams number two wide receiver or covering the slot guy in man coverage or in cover four. He said, “that’s how we did it. I will line up to the speed.”
McLeod was one of four players to be named captain of his team. I asked what it felt like to be named captain. He said, “that was a great accomplishment. I knew I had leadership ability but we also have a lot of other senior leaders so I was just honored to be selected by my coaches and players.”
He takes pride in his leadership and feels that he, along with the other leaders on the Virginia team “did a good job this season” leading the team to an 8-4 season. He said “It’s just a great way to go out as a senior, to be elected captain and to go out with a winning record” and to turn the UVA program around.
His favorite moment as a college football player was beating Florida State on Saturday night on ESPN. The Cavaliers scored with just over minute remaining in the fourth quarter to take a 14-13 lead over a Florida State team that was ranked number 25 in the country. It was a crazy finish to a pretty wild game and was clearly a huge win for the Virginia program and their players.
We turned our focus to his future and the NFL. We talked about how playing in the NFL was a dream and how close he was to accomplishing it. I asked what he could offer to an NFL team. He mentioned his versatility. “I played corner as a freshman and in the nickel package. I returned balls as well, and then I played safety for three years, so I think my versatility is big.”
“As a corner I played everything” and he told me that he thought that whether it’s coverage ability to tackling in the open field, he has shown it. He said he has shown “that physical aspect and making plays. I have been a leader as well so I feel bring all of those attributes to the team that drafts me.”
He told me that he expected the pace in the NFL to be a significant change for him, but that the college program and his coaches have prepared him very well to be ready to take on the challenges of the next level. He said that he is “ready and willing to do whatever the team asks of him, whether it’s special teams or making an impact instantly on the defense.”
I asked him which player in the NFL stood out to him as a player that he looked to or was compared to. He told me that he really appreciated the way that Charles Woodson plays, especially his ability to play multiple positions. He considers himself to be an all-around player that can do multiple things and that’s what he thinks Woodson is too.
When I asked him if there was anything he wanted the fans of the team that drafts him to know it is that he is a really hard working guy and a guy that’s worked hard his whole life. He said that he was a guy that could be counted on.
Rodney McLeod is a play-maker at the safety position and a player that can have an impact in other areas as well. He is a player that can be counted on and wants an opportunity to help a team in any way that he can. Count me in as a person who would like to see him get that chance.
Scott Bischoff is a Contributor for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials.
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I guess was not sure, but I really didn't think they every considered New Mexico a state in the 1970's. I know when the Olympics were in Atlanta, GA., New Mexico residents were instructed to contact their country for tickets when they called the US number.