Rookie Darius Leonard cements starting role in Colts’ linebacker corps Fellow rookie Skai Moore also impressing this preseason

Jordan Guskey | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption Penalties, sloppy play hurt Colts in loss The Indianapolis Colts lose to the Baltimore Ravens 20-19 Monday night.

INDIANAPOLIS – First major colleges passed on him and forced him to prove them wrong in the FCS at South Carolina State. Later a quad injury at the NFL scouting combine, one he would tweak during pre-draft workouts and on the first day of rookie minicamp, robbed him of chances to showcase his potential, to prove the Indianapolis Colts right to have drafted him 36th overall in the second round.

But at training camp?

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At training camp he’s healthy. At times he’s running with the first team defense and now the doubters, however many there still were, are silent. He starts the first preseason game in Seattle. He starts the second in Indianapolis. But in front of hometown fans in Lucas Oil Stadium something appears to have changed. He’s the “maniac” many in college affectionately referred to him as.

Amid disappointing play by the Colts’ secondary in their 20-19 loss Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens, not to mention lackluster effort by some on the line on both sides of the ball, Darius Leonard has found his niche at weak-side linebacker in defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme.

Colts fans may be worried, as much as they can be during preseason play when the score doesn’t matter as much as development, but not about Leonard. And his teammates recognize that.

“He’s a phenomenal player and he’s going to get better and better each game,” Colts safety Clayton Geathers said. “You see it every day in practice. He’s got the size, he’s got the speed, he’s got the smarts to do it. And he’s from South Carolina so, hey, give him a little extra edge.”

Leonard put up numbers in college. The 6-2, 234-pound force set South Carolina State’s school record for tackles with 394 — 19 of which came in a loss to Clemson — and started all 43 games he played. The 53 tackles for loss, 21.5 sacks, six interceptions and eight forced fumbles look pretty good, too.

But the two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year’s seven tackles in the first half against the Ravens, during plays when the visitor’s starters and those fighting for significant regular season playing time lined up opposite him, showed more NFL teams should have taken his collegiate numbers seriously.

Only defensive lineman John Simon, who registered a sack and regularly impressed fans with his effort, excited Colts fans as much as Leonard. Rookie linebacker Skai Moore, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Colts, showed promise as he filled in for Anthony Walker at middle linebacker.

Moore was excited in the locker room postgame that he and Leonard didn’t lose any momentum from practice.

“That’s the main thing, you practice all week and then when you get to game time that’s the fun part,” Moore said. “All that work we put in all throughout the week has to show on game day.”

If Moore and Leonard are asked to start Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Moore is confident nothing will change.

“We just play ball,” Moore said. “We’ve played a lot of good football in our lives so far, so just making this transition to the NFL, it’s still football at the end of the day. We’re all going to go out there and just keep playing ball. Keep balling.”

Geathers feels the same way. Coach Frank Reich talked postgame about how much of an effect playmaking safeties can have on a game, and they can, but Geathers is also happy to see someone like Leonard grow at the pace he has and can’t wait to see what Leonard produces once the preseason ends.

“He’s a dominating player,” Geathers said. “He can go out there and do what you ask him to do, and do more. I’m really liking what I’m seeing out of him and as we go further we’ll see more and more.”

It’s not clear, though, what the rest of the starting 11 might look like on defense. While Leonard’s spot appears to be secure, questions remain in the secondary and on the defensive line.

“I think we’ll let it play out for one more week,” Reich said. “We’ve got a pretty quick turnaround here, obviously play Saturday, so those reps in that game will be important. This week in practice will be important, and really count to the evaluation of how that all plays out.”

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Jordan Guskey on Twitter at @JordanGuskey or email him at jguskey@gannett.com.