The Kansas City Chiefs selected Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Leo Chenal in the third round (103rd overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft. Despite falling all the way to the end of the third round, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms had high praise for Chanel. In fact, Simms called him his third best linebacker in the entire class.
Leo Chenal
How did he not get more hype before the draft? My kind of mofo here. Great acceleration, and sheds blockers very well. Natural instincts and ablity to change directions.
Either way, it’s everyone’s loss and the @Chiefs gain— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) April 30, 2022
Leo Chenal as a Wisconsin Badgers Linebacker
Leo Chenal burst onto the scene as a junior in 2021. In the previous two seasons, he did not have nearly as much of an impact. In 2019, as a freshman, Chenal had 17 tackles (one for a loss) in seven games played. In the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he had 46 total tackles. This total included six tackles for loss and three sacks. Chenal also had one interception and one forced fumble in 2020.
As mentioned previously, Chenal broke out in 2021. Last season, he had 115 total tackles. This number included 18.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Additionally, Chenal forced two fumbles.
Leo Chenal Addressed the Media After the Draft
In a press conference after the 2022 NFL Draft, Leo Chenal had some bold words for his future in the NFL. Among other things, he stated: “[I will be] one of the most violent guys on the field.” That being said, he was also humble and admitted that he is still going to continue to improve. Chenal stated, “Freshman year going into college, I was struggling with a lot of the things that you see as my strengths right now. I’m going to continue to grow and adapt and do whatever I can to be the best I can for this defense.”
You can see his full video here:
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