When Matt Leo arrived in Yuma from Australia last year, Arizona Western College was just three weeks away from its season-opener.
Leo had never played a down of football in his life, nor did he understand much of the lingo associated with it. His experience was all from watching on television. He had never even worn shoulder pads or a helmet.
Leo is now a sophomore at Arizona Western, with a full season of learning, training and practice under his belt.
Next year, he’ll be an Arizona Wildcat.
Leo told the Star that he has verbally committed to Arizona’s 2017 recruiting class. In Leo, Arizona gets a 6-foot-7-inch, 265-pound defensive lineman with loads of promise. Leo is Arizona’s 26th verbal commitment for 2017 and its fourth defensive lineman.
“Straight off the bat, they showed me the most love, so I just see myself fitting in there,” he said. “They’ve always been my top school.”
Leo is a raw prospect, certainly, but the measurables are tantalizing. That Leo will play a position of need — defensive end — only enticed the UA more.
Arizona’s Rich Rodriguez often talks about how every coach wants to find a 6-6, nearly 300-pound defensive lineman who can run a quick 40-yard dash.
Meet Leo.
He fits the mold — the former rugby player does 28 reps of the 225-pound bench press and has run a 4.77-second 40-yard dash. And that’s without practice.
“I ran not even knowing the technique of running the 40 yards,” Leo said, “and not even knowing the little things that help you shave off that time so I can get quicker.”
Leo has primarily played defensive tackle at Arizona Western, but the Wildcats intend to use him at defensive end.
He played sparingly as a freshman, amassing just three tackles, but remember — the season started three weeks after he began his football career.
It was all a whirlwind.
“To be honest, I’m just excited because last year I came out here pretty much with a blindfold on,” Leo said. “I came straight to camp, and I’d never played, never even put a helmet or pads on, so I sort of came into the season without knowing how to play football, understand it.
“The team had already been steamrolling ahead, so I just tried to fit in and do what I was told. But I really didn’t understand why I was doing anything. So now going into this season I understand so much more of the game, I understand my path and what’s next for me.”
Part of that is his Pac-12 future. Leo picked the Wildcats over offers from Iowa State and Central Florida largely because Arizona’s coaching staff made him a priority. Leo intends to graduate from Arizona Western in December so he can enroll at the UA early.
Leo, 22, will have three years to play two at Arizona after playing two seasons of JC ball.
Defensive line coach Vince Amey was Leo’s primary recruiter, and quarterbacks coach Rod Smith and staff analyst Miguel were key contributors, but it was the man at the top that convinced Leo to join the Wildcats’ highly touted 2017 class.
Rodriguez had a heavy presence at Leo’s practices. He invited Leo to Arizona’s campus in May, when the Wildcats offered him a scholarship.
“Even though Coach Amey was the one who was adamant about having me on his D-line, Coach Rod was the one who pushed me to come out,” Leo said.
Leo made the trek from Adelaide to the United States after a friend played football at a Division III school. He picked Arizona Western after watching Jesse Williams, another Aussie, play there for two years before transferring to Alabama.
Now, soon, Leo will be a Pac-12 defensive lineman.
“I told Coach Amey I want to be the best defensive end, maybe not straight away, but my goal is to be one of the best, physical defensive ends in the Pac-12,” Leo said.
“People back home in Australia don’t even believe how big of a sport, business and lifestyle football is in America. I was blown away, and I love the ride.”
