SC State’s Darius Leonard named NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month

INDIANAPOLIS — On Thursday, the National Football League named Darius Leonard — the second-round pick out of South Carolina State — as the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Month for September.

Leonard becomes the first Colts player to claim league Rookie of the Month honors since running back Joseph Addai in November 2006, and is the team’s first NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month since defensive end Dwight Freeney earned that honor in back-to-back months in November and December of 2002.

Leonard, who has started all four of the Colts’ games at WILL linebacker, enters tonight’s Week 5 matchup against the New England Patriots leading the league with 54 tackles, 38 of which are solo stops — also tops in the NFL.