A.C. Leonard

A.C. Leonard

Jacksonville Sharks
Position:	Tight end
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1992-01-15) January 15, 1992
Place of birth:	Palatka, Florida
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Jacksonville (FL) University Christian
College:	Tennessee State
Undrafted:	2014
Career history
Minnesota Vikings (2014)* Brooklyn Bolts (2014) New Orleans VooDoo (2014–2015)* BC Lions (2015) Hudson Valley Fort (2015)* Jacksonville Sharks (2016–present)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:	Active
CFL status:	International
Career CFL statistics
Receptions: 17 Receiving yards: 187 Receiving TDs: 2

AC Leonard (born January 15, 1992) is a gridiron football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League. He attended Tennessee State University, where he played college football for the Tigers and studied criminal justice.

Early career

Leonard played high school football at Jean Ribault before transferring to Interlachen and then to University Christian School in 2010. At University Christian, he played primarily as a tight end, but also as a linebacker and defensive end. He played college football for the Florida Gators in 2011, and recorded eight receptions for 99 yards over nine games. A knee injury caused him to miss three games in his rookie year. Leonard transferred to Tennessee State to play for the Tigers the following season, where he played for two years. He recorded 1,174 yards for 11 touchdowns on 85 receptions with the Tigers.

Professional career

Leonard was eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft, and ran the fastest 40-yard dash among tight ends at the NFL scouting combine that year. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings. He participated in training camp, where he missed multiple practices due to an injury or illness initially described as a headache. He was later released on August 6, 2014. Later that year, Leonard played for the Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League in its inaugural season. He was assigned to the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League on December 5, 2014. He was placed on the Other League Exempt list on February 23, 2015.

In April 2015, Leonard signed with the BC Lions. Leonard made his CFL debut on July 17, 2015 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he recorded four receptions for 26 yards and two touchdowns.

On October 16, 2015, Leonard was assigned to the Jacksonville Sharks.

Domestic battery arrest

On February 15, 2012, Leonard was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery after an alleged altercation with a woman he had been dating for 17 months. The woman told police that she had been shoved and dragged from an apartment by her hair. As a result of the arrest, Leonard was suspended from the Florida Gators. He pleaded no contest to the charge in April, and received a six-month probation. Although Leonard's suspension was lifted in late March, Gators head coach Will Muschamp stated that he would serve a suspension during the 2012 season. Leonard and Muschamp later decided it would be best if the player transferred. Leonard transferred to Tennessee State prior to the start of the football season that year.