Caleb Leichtnam

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Remember the name. Safety, Rochester Community College, NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year. 39 tackles 20 interceptions and 422 Int yards this season. Played 9 man in SE MN. The kid has killed it at every position. Got some nasty moves and speed.


http://youtu.be/V9u04blbPcI

Coach better be calling this young man.
 

Hey, Mr. Leichtnam, I hope your son does well, wherever he plays....
 

20 interceptions, I don't care what the level, that's impressive.
 

Looks like a nice player to me.

Looks like a nice player to me. Watched his high school highlight film and I think he is definitely someone to watch. Then went to the award announcement. I thought the 20 interceptions was in a two year career in Junior College. He did that in ONE year. Then look at our DBs at the U of M who have the "I'll wait until they catch it and then I'll tackle them mind set." We maybe have one kid with the mind set to intercept a ball. Interceptions are game changers just like sacks. Look what happen to us at the end of the year when we got a few sacks. Add a ball-hawking safety to that an we might have something.



Caleb Leichtnam
Defensive Back (6’ 0”, 177 lbs., Fresh.)
Rochester Community & Technical College, Minn.

Caleb Leichtnam’s ball-hawking skills made him the single biggest defensive threat on the field this season. His defensive efforts anchored Rochester’s Top 10 passing defense and spurred the Yellowjackets on to an 11-0 record in the regular season and their second-consecutive MCAC championship.

Leichtnam intercepted 20 passes in 2011, shattering the previous NJCAA single-season record of 14 (Vonkeith Spencer – Middle Georgia College – 1996/Landrain Gordon – Central Lakes College-Brainerd, Minn. – 2007). The freshman had multiple interceptions in seven games this season, including three contests where he picked off three or more passes. Totaling 422 return yards off his interceptions, Leichtnam returned two picks for touchdowns this season. He also tallied 39 total tackles, including three for a loss.

The best effort Leichtnam displayed this season was his four-interception performance in a 12-2 key conference win over Central Lakes College-Brainerd (Minn.). That showing earned Leichtnam one of his two Offensive Player of the Week awards in 2011.

Leichtnam is the second player from Rochester to receive Player of the Year honors. The first freshman to win the defensive award since 2007, Leichtnam will return to Rochester next year for his sophomore season.
 

I love seeing some SE Minnesota love! There can't be too many Leichtnam's in Grand Meadow. I think his dad was my 7th/8th grade football coach!
 


Since they got Fruechte from RCTC, I doubt he will be missed if he can play. I assume he has another year of JC ball left?
 

He could need to stay until he graduates if he's not a full qualifier, not submitting the paperwork to the NCAA Clearing House, would be enough to be a non qualifier.
 


20 interceptions is bananas. Go punch yourself in the balls, CrocShots.
Ditto to this - why all the lame name-calling and snarky cheap shots on here. A guy starts a legit topic and immediately you've got some guy calling him the kid's dad. It's got to stop guys.

On the topic, 20 INTs is crazy - flat out crazy. As the story said, the previous record is 14. Crazy! It's hard to imagine how he'd even get that many passes thrown to his side of the field after a few games of that. I know nothing about this kid and next-to-nothing about talent evaluation, but still I'm sure Kill has got to be aware of him. And like nsmike said, if he's not a full qualifier, he'd have to graduate before he could go anywhere.
 



I really would laugh my ass off if indeed the OP was his father.
 

Ditto to this - why all the lame name-calling and snarky cheap shots on here. A guy starts a legit topic and immediately you've got some guy calling him the kid's dad. It's got to stop guys.

On the topic, 20 INTs is crazy - flat out crazy. As the story said, the previous record is 14. Crazy! It's hard to imagine how he'd even get that many passes thrown to his side of the field after a few games of that. I know nothing about this kid and next-to-nothing about talent evaluation, but still I'm sure Kill has got to be aware of him. And like nsmike said, if he's not a full qualifier, he'd have to graduate before he could go anywhere.

I think people on here get burned out with someone tossing out a new name, linking a highlight video and saying the Gophers should offer this guy....

That being said, 20 picks means you get noticed, either he is not eligible for this season or there is an issue with him that would keep teams away. I think most schools looking at JC DB's would look very hard at a guy with that many picks if he were eligible to be signed this season.

Would be interesting to know of those 20 picks how many of them were based on his coverage ability and how many were gimmes (poor throw right to him, deflection). Wouldn't change the fact that 20 is still really impressive for one season but would be nice to know how many of the 20 he had to work for. Maybe he is someone we will see in Maroon and Gold in 2013 assuming he is not an option for this year.
 

I think people on here get burned out with someone tossing out a new name, linking a highlight video and saying the Gophers should offer this guy....

This is it.

But yeah, that was kind of a dick post, my bad. I hope Caleb continues to do well.
 

Ditto to this - why all the lame name-calling and snarky cheap shots on here. A guy starts a legit topic and immediately you've got some guy calling him the kid's dad. It's got to stop guys.

On the topic, 20 INTs is crazy - flat out crazy. As the story said, the previous record is 14. Crazy! It's hard to imagine how he'd even get that many passes thrown to his side of the field after a few games of that. I know nothing about this kid and next-to-nothing about talent evaluation, but still I'm sure Kill has got to be aware of him. And like nsmike said, if he's not a full qualifier, he'd have to graduate before he could go anywhere.

Eh...sadly I've come to expect it. Not his dad. I attended the C.C. he's at now and saw him in person a few times this fall. I can tell you he's the real deal. Pretty raw at the position (what freshman isn't). The kid is a ball hawk though. He's fast (right around 4.4 is what I've heard from teammates) and explosive. Really has a nose for the ball and when he gets it he's got some nice moves to make a play. I would hope the staff are looking at him being just 80 mi south of campus.
 



Eh...sadly I've come to expect it. Not his dad. I attended the C.C. he's at now and saw him in person a few times this fall. I can tell you he's the real deal. Pretty raw at the position (what freshman isn't). The kid is a ball hawk though. He's fast (right around 4.4 is what I've heard from teammates) and explosive. Really has a nose for the ball and when he gets it he's got some nice moves to make a play. I would hope the staff are looking at him being just 80 mi south of campus.

Now you've done it, you mentioned the dreaded 4.4 forty time...:) He plays FS so he doesn't have to be blazing fast to have a shot. You can bet that with 20 picks he is on the radar of any school that recruits JC guys. If he can come out and have another good year next year to prove this was legit he will have plenty of offers for 2013.
 


Ditto to this - why all the lame name-calling and snarky cheap shots on here. A guy starts a legit topic and immediately you've got some guy calling him the kid's dad. It's got to stop guys.

On the topic, 20 INTs is crazy - flat out crazy. As the story said, the previous record is 14. Crazy! It's hard to imagine how he'd even get that many passes thrown to his side of the field after a few games of that. I know nothing about this kid and next-to-nothing about talent evaluation, but still I'm sure Kill has got to be aware of him. And like nsmike said, if he's not a full qualifier, he'd have to graduate before he could go anywhere.
I get where CrocShots is coming from. We see it a lot on these boards. Someone signs up, starts a topic and posts a link to their crappy website or whacked-out blog. In this case; however, the OP had around 900 posts, so I'd assume he wouldn't go to the trouble of posting nearly a thousand times to simply lay in the weeds until it was the right time to promote his son. Kind of reminds me of the Mom and Pop Shoe Store episode of Seinfeld:

"So, mom and pop's plan was to move into the neighborhood, establish trust - for 48 years - and then run off with Jerry's sneakers?"
"Apparently."
 

20 picks ! I bet in the last 5 years Gopher DB's haven't had 20 picks total. I can see why Kill is loading up on DB's. We had to be the worst team in the BCS on our ability of the CB's to jump the routes.
 

20 picks ! I bet in the last 5 years Gopher DB's haven't had 20 picks total. I can see why Kill is loading up on DB's. We had to be the worst team in the BCS on our ability of the CB's to jump the routes.

Must be something about Minnesota. The Vikings can't get any picks either. In our case I think if the DL gets better the number of picks will go up, I have no idea how to fix the Vikings defense because they get a decent pass rush.
 

Not a lot of high level FBS players in that conference, but I'd like to see some college film of the kid. If he has another impressive year, I'm sure he'll end up somewhere with numbers like that
 


I did a google on him and saw he played in the MN High School All-star game. The video is very, very entertaining that Bob posted in the above post. He has really, quick feet. I haven't seen him play and don't know if he is a legit 4.4 speed but he has very quick bursts in traffic. If I was a college coach and the kid had good hands I might think of moving him to the slot receiver position. Play him something like Wes Welker. I came from a nine man program and would love to see a kid from a small town make it.
 

don't know if he is a legit 4.4 speed

I know that he does not. He's not even particularly fast, but does look to have great agility and, as you said, excellent footwork. If his legit speed is faster than 4.7, I'll eat my hat.

I came from a nine man program and would love to see a kid from a small town make it.

Ditto. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's awesome. Chad Greenway is always a point of pride for those of us who played nine man.
 

I did a google on him and saw he played in the MN High School All-star game. The video is very, very entertaining that Bob posted in the above post. He has really, quick feet. I haven't seen him play and don't know if he is a legit 4.4 speed but he has very quick bursts in traffic. If I was a college coach and the kid had good hands I might think of moving him to the slot receiver position. Play him something like Wes Welker. I came from a nine man program and would love to see a kid from a small town make it.


I know nothing about the kid, maybe he has the talent to play D1, maybe he doesn't. His 9 man film was pretty entertaining and his stats in JuCo were videogame-like.

I'd love to see a 9-man kid like him make it with the Gophers.

However, I don't see him ever being in a Wes Welker type of role. Wes Welker is a really fast, great route running guy who is about 5'9".

I think this kid will be a S. He is a lot bigger than Welker, and nowhere near as fast (plus I don't think he's ever played WR), and you can tell by the way he runs the ball, he doesn't mind contact.

If he ended up going to the U and being succesful, his story would be a lot like Jim Leonhard. Leonhard was a QB and all everything guy at his small town school in WI (Ladysmith, I believe), and eventually turned himself into a really good NFL S.
 

I often wonder if Willie Van DeSteeg would have even gotten noticed if Silver Lake still played 9-man when he was in high school. I really doubt it.
 

Leonhard was a QB and all everything guy at his small town school in WI (Ladysmith, I believe)

Leonhard went to Flambeau HS just outside of Tony, WI, which is a tiny town just a few miles away from Ladysmith. It is a smaller school, but not tiny, and they play 11-man.
 

Ditto. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's awesome. Chad Greenway is always a point of pride for those of us who played nine man.

I went to a 9-man game this year and it is the closest thing to back yard football. You don't have to have eligible numbers to catch passes. Defense has to be smart to know who can and cannot go out for a pass.
 

I hope the kid's the real deal and plays for the U. When's the last time we had a true ball hawking free safety?
 

I know that he does not. He's not even particularly fast, but does look to have great agility and, as you said, excellent footwork. If his legit speed is faster than 4.7, I'll eat my hat.



Ditto. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's awesome. Chad Greenway is always a point of pride for those of us who played nine man.


I've seen him live. He's 4.6 minimum from what I saw. The kid is damn fast. Electronic timed on a track I'd put money on a 4.4-4.55
 

I've seen him live. He's 4.6 minimum from what I saw. The kid is damn fast. Electronic timed on a track I'd put money on a 4.4-4.55

It's getting to the point where it's almost tiresome to keep posting this link, but - what the hell, I'll do it again:

http://www.nfl.com/combine/top-perf..._DASH&position=QB-RB-WR-TE-S-DL-LB-CB-OL-SPEC

So, no, he doesn't run anything close to a 4.4 (or a 4.55, for that matter). I'm sorry if this news offends you and the rest of Yellowjacket Nation.

I get that he probably looks blazing playing in a low-level JuCo league, but saying Leichtnam runs a 4.4 is the equivalent of Tom Cruise walking into a room full of midgets and declaring himself to be 7 ft. tall.
 

Coach Kill be in a good position to find out if Leichtman is fast enough, Fruchette practiced all fall with Rochester, so he will have run sprints against him. When Fruchette is at spring practice, they'll get a hard number for Fruchette's speed, and be able to gauge relative speed. If he's as fast of faster than Fruchette he's probably fast enough.
 




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