It wasn’t long ago that this 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker from Boise State was playing quarterback for his 8-man Idaho high school team. Now he’s considered one of the top linebacker prospects.
Leighton Vander Esch finished third in FBS with 141 tackles, not to mention four sacks, a pair of interceptions and four forced fumbles. He played mostly insider linebacker for the Broncos but is considered to have the athleticism to move outside.
The Mountain West Player of the Year forewent his redshirt-senior season to declare for the draft.
Fun fact: His family bought a decked-out Boise State-themed bus while Vander Esch was in college so they could take road trips to his games.
PRODUCTIVITY SCORE: 114.0 | ATHLETICISM SCORE: 110.9 | AGE SCORE: 107.1
FINAL SCORE: 110.7
[one_third]TOP 40 OVERALL DRAFT PROSPECTS
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Follow the links to enjoy the rest of the Zone Coverage Draft Guide.
TOP 40 PLAYERS
POSITION RANKINGS
VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
VIKINGS NEEDS
VIKINGS TARGETS
ARIF HASAN’S CONSENSUS BOARD
