Shaquille Leonard Height, Weight, Age, Girlfriend, Children

Shaquille Leonard is an American football linebacker who played college football at South Carolina State and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Born Name

Darius Shaquille Leonard

Nick Name

The Maniac

Sun Sign

Leo

Born Place

Nichols, Marion County, South Carolina, United States

Nationality

Education

Shaquille Leonard studied at Lake View High School located in Lake View, South Carolina and played high school football there. He then attended South Carolina State University (SCSU or SC State), a public, historically black, land-grant university situated in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Occupation

Football Player

Family

• Siblings – Anthony Devonne Waters (Older Brother) (Football linebacker who was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft). Shaquille Leonard has 7 more siblings.

Position

Linebacker

Build

Athletic

Height

6 ft 2 in or 188 cm

Weight

104 kg or 229 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Shaquille Leonard has dated –

1. Kayla – He proposed to Kayla on November 11, 2017, and the duo eventually got married. They have known each other since kindergarten. It was announced in December 2018 that the duo was expecting its first child, a baby girl, together. Subsequently, Kayla gave birth to their daughter Mia Leonard on March 28, 2019. They became parents to another daughter named Laila on June 4, 2021.

Race / Ethnicity

Black

Hair Color

Black

Eye Color

Dark Brown

Sexual Orientation

Straight

Distinctive Features

Energetic and productive on-field play

Shaquille Leonard Facts

1. Along with his siblings, Shaquille was raised by a single mother.
2. As a redshirt freshman in 2014, he led the South Carolina State Bulldogs in tackles, compiling 86, 14 for loss, five sacks, and two forced fumbles.
3. Shaquille Leonard was named the MEAC defensive player of the year following the 2016 season and SC State became the first school to win the award four years in a row. Also, he went on to conclude the season with 124 tackles, 14½ tackles for loss, 3½ sacks, two interceptions, three pass breakups, and four forced fumbles.
4. As a senior, he posted career highs in total tackles (113) and sacks (8½) while picking off two more passes and forcing one fumble.
5. In 2017, he recorded 73 solo tackles which placed him in the Top 10 in the nation.
6. After the 2017 season, Shaquille Leonard again received the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year award.
7. It was announced on November 20, 2017, that he had accepted his invitation to play in the 2018 Senior Bowl. He went on to play in the 2018 Senior Bowl on January 27, 2018, and recorded a game-high 14 combined tackles (five solo) as part of Bill O’Brien’s North team that defeated the South 45–16. His impressive performance at the Senior Bowl helped him during the draft season.
8. Shaquille Leonard was considered to be a second or third-round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. NFL analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked him as the sixth-best inside linebacker prospect in the draft and he was ranked the seventh-best outside linebacker by DraftScout.com.
9. In the 2018 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round with the 36th overall pick. He became the sixth linebacker taken in the draft.
10. He signed a four-year, $7.24 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts on July 23, 2018, and it included $4.16 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $3.35 million.
11. On July 12, 2020, Shaquille Leonard was cast in an episode of the game show Celebrity Family Feud in which the NFL rising stars took on retired NFL Hall of Famers, which included players such as Michael Irvin and Cris Carter.
12. He requested reporters on July 26, 2022, at the Indianapolis Colts‘ training camp that he wished to be called by his middle name, Shaquille, rather than his given first name, Darius.
13. On November 21, 2023, Shaquille Leonard was waived by the Indianapolis Colts and he subsequently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on December 4, 2023.
14. Two of his older brothers were arrested and sentenced to life for murder in the past.

Featured Image by All-Pro Reels / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED