‘Enforcer’ Influenced by 2x All-Pro to Meet With the 49ers: Report

Leon O'Neal

Getty Leon O'Neal talks to reporters during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.

An “enforcer” has captured the attention of the San Francisco 49ers, leading into a future meeting.

Leon O’Neal of Texas A&M calls himself the “e” word and takes pride in his physical nature at safety. He gets his aggression from idolizing a star safety who has earned two All-Pro nods.

Now, the 6-foot-1, 204-pounder is scheduled to have a Zoom interview with the 49ers per Aaron Wilson of the Pro Football Network on Monday, April 11.

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O’Neal Describes Nature of his Game

In a conversation with the NFL insider, O’Neal takes pride in the fact that he’s the opposite of soft on the football field. And he’s confidently ready to handle the NFL rigors.

“It’s not real complicated, I know I’m ready for the NFL,” O’Neal said to Wilson. “I’m just going to come in and be who I am. I’m an enforcer. A lot of my game is based on how explosive I am with certain things in pursuit.”

Then, O’Neal revealed who his influence is on the football field: Budda Baker of the Arizona Cardinals.

“I attack the ball. I’m always around the ball. Like Budda Baker, you can’t help but see him around the football. That’s how I approach the game,” O’Neal said.

Along with being a two-time All-Pro selection, Baker has earned four career Pro Bowl appearances including getting named to the last three contests.


O’Neal Was Asked About 49ers Before

It’s not the first time the Aggie has been mentioned with the 49ers.

During the interview process of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, O’Neal was asked by Jordan Elliot of SB Nation’s Niners Nation about how he would feel suiting up for the 49ers.

“I love it, I love it man, honest to god,” O’Neal said. “A guy like Deebo (Samuel) on the other end making you better, that’s something that’s out of this world. Not just him. Everybody who’s on that team, you can tell, plays with passion. They play with passion, they play with energy, they play with heart.”


Is O’Neal’s Game Comparable to Baker?

O’Neal is a high-motor player as described by draft expert Cory Giddings of Bleacher Report in his evaluation.

In watching him closely, he’s not one who shies away from throwing his body around, especially if it means getting a finger or entire hands on the football. Baker is known in the league for making a beeline toward the ball… often leading to violent collisions.

The Aggie O’Neal lives up to his “enforcer” moniker by trying to go for the knockout hit.

However, he’s been described as someone who needs to clean up his tackling and man coverage skills. He’s also limited speed wise and benefitted from having a fast defensive line in front of him. Giddings, though, believes the skills are there for him to eventually become a starter down the road.

Lance Zierlein of nfl.com, meanwhile, wrote a harsher review. While the draft expert likes his size and effort, he wrote “O’Neal was an inconsistent tackler throughout his time at Texas A&M, which could add to the challenge of making a roster in 2022.” Zierlein also adds that O’Neal can be mismatched by speed and has taken questionable angles in his tackling pursuits.

Regardless, though, O’Neal is a believer he’s NFL ready.

“With the amount of work I put in, the amount of discipline I put into the game, I know I’m ready,” O’Neal told Wilson. “My character flows through me. I have the energy to be a safety. I’m a leader 24/7. I’m steady making plays and hitting people hard.”

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