Darius Leonard Favored to Lead NFL in Tackles in 2019; Vander Esch Given 7-1 Odds, Kuechly 12-1
- Indianapolis Colts LB Darius Leonard is the +550 favorite to lead the NFL in tackles in 2019
- Leonard led the league with 163 tackles last season as a rookie
- No player has led the NFL in tackles in successive seasons since 1991-92
Sportsbooks have put the odds in favor of Darius Leonard. Yet history shows the odds to be heavily stacked against him.
Last season, the Indianapolis Colts’ rookie linebacker topped the NFL with 163 combined tackles. It helped earn Leonard the NFL defensive rookie of the year award.
Leonard is listed as the +550 chalk to lead the NFL in tackles again in 2019, even though the 6-foot-2, 234-pound linebacker wasn’t even born the last time any player topped the league in tackles in successive seasons.
2019 NFL Combined Tackles And Assists Leaders Odds
| Player (Team) | 2018 Tackles | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Darius Leonard (Colts) | 163 | +550 |
| Leighton Vander Esch (Cowboys) | 140 | +700 |
| Luke Kuechly (Panthers) | 130 | +1200 |
| Blake Martinez (Packers) | 144 | +1200 |
| Bobby Wagner (Seahawks) | 138 | +1500 |
| Roquan Smith (Bears) | 122 | +1500 |
| Tremaine Edmunds (Bills) | 121 | +1600 |
| Joe Schobert (Browns) | 103 | +2200 |
| Cory Littleton (Rams) | 125 | +2200 |
| Fred Warner (49ers) | 124 | +2200 |
| Devin White (Buccaneers) | Rookie | +2500 |
| Deion Jones (Falcons) | 53 | +2500 |
| CJ Mosley (Jets) | 105 | +2500 |
| Anthony Hitchens (Seahawks) | 135 | +2500 |
| Mason Foster (Free Agent) | 133 | +2500 |
Odds taken 07/23/19.
Leonard recorded at least seven tackles in every game last season. He posted a career-high 17 tackles in a 37-5 win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Legend of Jessie Tuggle
Jessie Tuggle, an Atlanta Falcons linebacker from 1987-2000, is the NFL’s all-time tackles leader with 1,804. Tuggle left a tackling legacy that no NFL player can measure up against.
Four times, Tuggle led the NFL in tackles. That included three years in succession from 1990-92. He twiced topped 200 tackles in that three-year span and averaged 200.3 tackles per season.
https://twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons/status/981629983658405888?s=20
By comparison, Leonard’s league-leading total in 2018 was 163 tackles.
The NFL began compiling tackling statistics in 1978. Cleveland Browns linebacker Clay Matthews Sr. led in 1978-79. New York Jets’ LB Kyle Clifton did likewise in 1985-86. They’re the only other player in league history to top the NFL in this category in back-to-back seasons.
Outstanding picture of Clay Matthews Sr., Clay Matthews Jr. and Clay Matthews III. pic.twitter.com/tywA95dYQ4
— Packers Fans (@PackersFans_) March 24, 2017
So as you can see, the odds are clearly stacked against Leonard.
It’s Going to Be a Linebacker
The top 12 finishers in tackles last season were all linebackers. But that’s nothing new. It’s the third straight year that the top tacklers were entirely populated by linebackers.
Only three players in NFL history have had a season with at least 150 tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 interceptions:
• Keith Bulluck (2004)
• Bobby Wagner (2013)
• Darius Leonard (2018) pic.twitter.com/mES2XNFMxi— Locked On Colts Podcast (@LockedOnColts) July 23, 2019
You have to go back to 2015, when Miami Dolphins’ safety Reshad Jones (fourth) and Buffalo Bills safety Corey Graham (eighth) both cracked the top 10, to locate a dent in this linebacker dominance.
A non-linebacker hasn’t led the NFL in tackles since 1996. That season, New York Jets defensive back Victor Green showed the way with 165 tackles.
Don’t Overlook the Rookies
Leonard led the NFL in tackles as a rookie, so you can’t rule out it happening again.
There are a couple of first-year linebackers that deserve your consideration.
We have agreed to terms with first-round pick Devin White.
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 20, 2019
Devin White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Devin Bush of the Pittsburgh Steelers are a pair of inside linebackers drafted in the first-round. Like Leonard a year ago, they figure to slot right into essential roles with their new teams.
Odds Stacked Against Leonard
History suggests you can’t bet Leonard, so where to go with your NFL tackling leader wager?
Luke Kuechly has 948 tackles. How many games will it take for him to hit 1000? #KeepPounding @Panthers pic.twitter.com/uwK1AGxrJ2
— Panthers Legacy (@PanthersLegacy) July 21, 2019
Carolina Panthers’ LB Luke Kuechly twice led the NFL in tackles. But the last time was in 2014. He’s averaged just 118.7 tackles the past four seasons. Seattle LB Bobby Wagner is another past winner who’s always among the leaders.
“I think Leighton Vander Esch is destined to be one of the all-time greats. I really do. … He’s an old school linebacker in size, but new school in his ability to cover and run.”
-Troy Aikman https://t.co/ZhipPGDwLf— COWBOYS ✭ (@AmericasTeam_21) April 13, 2019
To us, the guy who looks the best bet in Dallas LB Leighton Vander Esch. He was in on 140 tackles last season and only started 11 games. With a full season as a starter, he should do even more damage.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
