Desmeal Leigh

NFL Draft Profile: Desmeal Leigh

Position: Offensive Tackle | School: Youngstown State | Class: Junior

Height: 6'7" | Weight: 325 lbs | Archetype: Balanced (Power Specialist / Zone Hybrid)

College Career Summary

Desmeal Leigh is a "diamond in the rough" prospect from the FCS level who has transformed his body and game since arriving at Youngstown State. A former tight end with only one year of high school football experience, Leigh joined the Penguins at roughly 290 lbs and has since sculpted a pro-ready 325 lb frame.

He burst onto the scene in 2023, starting all 13 games at Left Tackle as a redshirt freshman and earning Freshman All-American honors after allowing only one sack. In 2024, he maintained elite efficiency, allowing just two sacks and earning a 98% Pass Pro Efficiency grade from PFF. By the 2025 season, Leigh became the premier blindside protector in the MVFC, facing heightened scrutiny from NFL scouts. His journey is defined by a "hardcore work ethic," having added nearly 40 lbs of functional muscle while maintaining the rare foot speed of a former skill-position player.

Career Stats & Highlights

• Career Starts: 36 (Consecutive starts at LT)

• 2025 Sacks Allowed: 2

• 2025 Pressures Allowed: 9

• Pancakes: ~55 (2025 Season)

• Holding Penalties: 2 (2025)

• Honors: 2023 Freshman All-American; 2024 Honorable-Mention All-MVFC; 2025 First-Team All-MVFC.

2025 Game-by-Game Grades

Week	Opponent	Grade	Scout's Notes
1	vs Mercyhurst	A	Total physical erasure; paved the way for 50+ points.
3	@ Michigan State	B	Biggest Test. Handled Big Ten speed well; allowed 1 sack on a late stunt.
5	vs #1 SDSU	A-	Physical "mauler" performance against the FCS standard-bearers.
6	@ North Dakota	B+	Elite reach blocking; zero pressures allowed.
7	@ Illinois State	B	Solid in pass pro; 1 holding penalty on a second-level climb.
8	vs Murray State	A+	The Apex. Dominant highlight-reel pancakes; 100% efficiency.
10	@ #2 NDSU	C+	Worst Game. Struggled with the dome noise; allowed 1 sack and 3 hurries.
11	vs Southern Illinois	B+	Aggressive finisher; neutralized a twitchy edge rusher.
12	vs Indiana State	A-	Clean sheet in pass protection; showcased elite recovery speed.
14	vs Yale (Post)	A	Professional-grade tape; dominated the line of scrimmage.

Scouting Grade Rubric

Intangibles (.20) — Grade: 95/100

• Leadership: High. Vocal leader of the "Penguin Trenches"; high-character prospect.

• Mental Toughness: High; thrived after having only one year of HS ball experience.

• Competitor: Elite; plays with an "FCS chip" on his shoulder.

• Team Player: Credits the YSU strength staff for his 40 lb weight gain.

• Star: High; a clear talent outlier on the field every Saturday.

Physical Tools (.20) — Grade: 97/100

• Height/Weight: 6'7", 325 lbs. (Elite size; reaches both high-end benchmarks).

• Stamina: High; rare "repeat sprint" ability for a man his size.

• Durability: Elite. Has never missed a start in his collegiate career.

• Injury History: Medically clean.

Attributes (.20) — Grade: 88/100

• Run Block: Plus; uses his massive frame to "wall off" entire sides of the field.

• Pass Block: Strength. 98% efficiency over two years; quick "jump sets."

• Strength: Plus; added significant mass that translated directly to anchor power.

• Technique: Solid; savvy hand counters, though pad level can occasionally get high.

• High Motor: Constant; looks for secondary blocks downfield on every screen.

Athleticism (.20) — Grade: 94/100

• Speed: Elite. Former tight end movement skills; elite climber to the second level.

• Agility: Plus; great lateral mirror, though tested by elite "bend" in 2025.

• Flexibility: High; "loose hips" that enable him to bend and recover from poor angles.

• Acceleration: Sudden; fires off the ball with immediate intent.

• Footwork: Clean; quick and quiet feet that rarely get crossed.

IQ (.20) — Grade: 90/100

• Awareness: High; excellent stunt recognition and situational IQ.

Scouting Report

• Strengths: Prototypical "giant" frame with elite athletic upside; rare movement skills for 325 lbs; extremely high floor due to pass-protection efficiency (only 5 sacks in 3 seasons); high-end work ethic and coachability.

• Weaknesses: Critical Level of Competition. Scouts need to see how he handles elite Power 4 twitch consistently; tends to play "tall," which can lead to leverage loss against squatty bull-rushers; still refining hand-fight depth.

• Scheme Fit: Ideal for a Zone-Slide or Heavy Run offense (e.g., Colts, Titans, Eagles).

• NFL Comparison: Bernhard Raimann / Trevor Penning.

Scout's Final Word

"Desmeal Leigh is the small-school sleeper of the 2026 class. His 6'7" frame and 4.9-style movement skills are things you simply cannot teach. While he occasionally gets 'out-leveraged' because he’s so tall, his trajectory from a 250 lb high school senior to a 325 lb All-American tackle is remarkable. He is a developmental starter with 'Top 5 Tackle' potential if he lands with the right O-line coach. Draft Projection: 3rd - 4th Round (Small school tax, but high positional value)."