ScoutIndex

DAL DAL

Leighton Vander Esch

OLB

Drafted 19th overall in the 1st round of the 2018 draft, Leighton Vander Esch arrived from Boise State. His most recent season came in 2023 with DAL, capping a 6-season NFL career. He posted a 51.3 ScoutIndex Rating last season, an above-average mark that placed him in the 58th percentile among DEFs.

Size

6'4", 255#

College

Boise State

Draft

Rd 1, 19th overall (2018)

Seasons

2018–2023

2020 ScoutIndex Rating · DEF

Methodology
47.8

49th percentile among DEFs

10 games

Splash plays×0.15+0.61
Pass rush×0.3-0.12
Ball skills×0.25-0.67
Run defense×0.2-0.06
Availability×0.1+0.15

Career (regular season)

SeasonTmSIGPass ydsPass TDRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
2023DAL41.45
2022DAL51.313
2021DAL52.717
2020DAL47.810
2019DAL51.99
2018DAL56.916

Career profile

Leighton Vander Esch has appeared in 70 regular-season games across 6 NFL seasons on file, all with DAL.

By the ScoutIndex Rating, his best qualified season was 2018: a 56.9, in the 70th percentile among DEFs that year.

2020 splits

regular season

2020 game log

WkOppLineScore
Week 1LAR—40
Week 6ARI—40.7
Week 7WAS—45
Week 8PHI—74
Week 9PIT—42
Week 11MIN—42.6
Week 12WAS—61.3
Week 13BAL—41.3
Week 14CIN—41.1
Week 15SF—40.7

Leighton Vander Esch — common questions

What position does Leighton Vander Esch play?
Leighton Vander Esch is listed as an OLB.
Which teams has Leighton Vander Esch played for?
In the seasons on file (1999 onward), Leighton Vander Esch has played for DAL (2018–2023).
Where did Leighton Vander Esch go to college?
Leighton Vander Esch played college football at Boise State.
When was Leighton Vander Esch drafted?
Leighton Vander Esch was selected in round 1, 19th overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft.
How many touchdowns has Leighton Vander Esch scored?
Leighton Vander Esch has no rushing, receiving or passing touchdowns in the regular-season games on file.
What is Leighton Vander Esch's ScoutIndex Rating?
Leighton Vander Esch rated 41.4 for 2023, the 34th percentile among DEFs (provisional or limited sample). Ratings run 0–99; about 60 is a league-average qualified starter.

Related players

Top teammates, last season on file

Drafted in round 1, 2018

Also from Boise State