IDL, Texas A&M
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 290 lbs
Class: Junior
DeMarvin Leal was a five-star recruit coming out of high school in 2019 and ranked as the No. 16 overall player in the country. He had offers from all of the college football powerhouses, but chose to stay in state and commit to A&M. He has been starting for the Aggies since his true freshman season and has developed into an elite prospect, being named to the preseason watchlist for both the Bednarik Award and the Ted Hendricks Award. Leal has lived up to those high expectations so far this season. Through seven games he ranks third in the SEC in sacks and second in defensive stops.
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Strengths
The feather in Leal’s cap as a draft prospect is his versatility. At Texas A&M he plays principally as a defensive end in their standard even fronts. When they do employ odd fronts it isn’t uncommon for Leal to kick out to outside linebacker. This is despite him standing at 6’4″ and 290 lbs. Leal does not move like you would expect for a man of his size. He plays with tremendous burst and quickness and is comfortable working one-on-one with opposing tackles as a pass rusher.
His future in the NFL is probably along the interior though, and he is great here too. Texas A&M have used him everywhere along the defensive line throughout his collegiate career. Despite being a little undersized for a traditional interior lineman, Leal has no problems when it comes to play strength. He showcases tremendous power at the point of attack, with the ability to manhandle opposing linemen at will. He is at his best playing 3 or 5-tech, but has shown the ability to function well as a nose tackle.
All of this serves to make him an excellent run defender. Leal’s quickness and strength creates mismatches for opposing linemen and he is so tough to contain. He does a great job of setting the edge when used as a defensive end and routinely overpowers opposing tackles, sending them backwards and re-establishing the line of scrimmage. As an interior defender he is too quick, being able to slip past opponents and make plays in the backfield. Leal is also one of the best when it comes to stacking and shedding. He does a great job of playing with leverage and understands when to disengage from his opponent.
Another aspect of Leal’s game that will get NFL teams excited is his variety of pass rushing moves. Whilst he could still add polish to his attack, he shows the ability to win in a number of ways. He is effective using swim moves, spins and cross-chops, but his best moves are the bull rush and the push-pull. He has the power to plough through opposing linemen, but also knows when to attack them with the push-pull if they are over their toes in pass protection.
Weaknesses
Whilst Leal is already an accomplished pass rusher, he could stand to improve his pass rush plan. He shows a good variety of moves, but they often feel pre-planned. There were a number of times on tape where Leal would employ completely the wrong move and play into his opponent’s hands. Teams will want to see him react and adjust to the technique of his opponent.
In addition to this, he will need to work to develop his counter moves. Whilst his variety of moves is a positive, you don’t see him offer much if his first approach fails. If opponents get inside his frame early he struggles to dislodge them. His current approach won’t be enough at the NFL level.
Bottom Line
Leal is a supremely talented linemen who should find himself as a top ten pick in the 2022 Draft. He offers rare levels of versatility and a combination of size and speed you don’t often see at the position. He is the clear frontrunner amongst interior defensive linemen and has proved himself to be a difference maker as both a pass rusher and run defender. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up as one of the top five interior linemen in the NFL in a few years’ time.
Ideal Role: 5-tech in a 3-4 defense
Round projection: 1st round
