SI All-American Candidate Christian Leary Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Christian Leary
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 5-foot-9, 180 pounds
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater
Committed to: Alabama
Projected Position: Wide Receiver
Frame: Compact build with an upper-body definition. Some length as well as room to add mass at the next level.
Athleticism: Electric athlete in every sense of the word. Extremely strong out of the blocks with elite top-end speed, validated by a 10.5-second 100-meter dash time to his credit. Lower-body explosion largely unmatched in the class of 2021 and gets to top speed sooner rather than later.
Instincts: Natural playmaker with the football in his hands. Not just a track guy even though he doesn’t get caught from behind. Subtle movement skill in space to break tackles beyond pure torque. Excellent after the catch, largely due to positional versatility. Lined up as run-first quarterback considerably during 2019 season, helping his team to a state title appearance.
Polish: When it comes to after the catch ability, the return game and flat out covering the ground, few in America can contend with Leary. Good vision with uncanny cut-back ability without wasted motion. As a wide receiver, room to improve fundamentals at the position, particularly the ability to combat press and short to intermediate routes.
Bottom Line: Leary is headed to Alabama and it’s hard not to liken his game to that of recent Crimson Tide star and first-round NFL Draft pick Henry Ruggs. Each played multiple positions on the football field and played multiple sports at the prep level with undeniable explosive play-making ability regardless of setting. As Leary polishes up his game as a passing target, particularly his route-running and ability to vary releases at the line of scrimmage, he’ll be the type of athlete an offensive coordinator designs plays for without fail.