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Leo Chenal

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Leo Chenal
refer to caption
Chenal in 2022
No. 54 – Kansas City Chiefs
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (2000-10-26) October 26, 2000 (age 24)
Grantsburg, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school:Grantsburg (WI)
College:Wisconsin (2019–2021)
NFL draft:2022 / round: 3 / pick: 103
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2024
Total tackles:127
Sacks:5.0
Forced fumbles:2
Pass deflections:4
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Leo Chenal (/ʃəˈnɛl/ shə-NEL;[1] born October 26, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers.

Early years

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Chenal grew up in West Sweden, Wisconsin township and attended school in the Frederic, Wisconsin district. He open enrolled as a freshman to nearby town Grantsburg, Wisconsin to attend Grantsburg High School, where he played both running back and linebacker.[2] As a senior, Chenal rushed for 2,038 yards and 42 touchdowns with 226 receiving yards and three touchdowns on offense and had 120 tackles and seven tackles for loss on defense.[3] He was named both the small-school Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year by Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and the state Gatorade Football Player of the Year.[4] After a devastating loss to the future state champions, Iola-Scandinavia.[5] Chenal finished his high school career with 3,706 rushing yards and 68 touchdowns and 1,300 receiving yards and 17 touchdown receptions on offense and with 385 tackles, 55 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and three interceptions on defense.[6]

College career

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Chenal joined the Wisconsin Badgers as an early enrollee.[7] He played in 11 games during his freshman season and had 20 tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack.[8] As a sophomore, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference after finishing the season with 46 tackles, six tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception in seven games during Wisconsin's COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.[9] Chenal was named the Butkus–Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten as a junior.[10]

On January 3, 2022, Chenal announced that he would forgo his senior year to enter the 2022 NFL draft.[11]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2+5⁄8 in
(1.90 m) 		250 lb
(113 kg) 		31 in
(0.79 m) 		9+3⁄4 in
(0.25 m)		 4.53 s 1.50 s 2.57 s 4.24 s 6.98 s 40.5 in
(1.03 m)		 10 ft 8 in
(3.25 m)		 34 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[12][13]

Chenal was selected in the third round (103rd overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft.[14] Chenal made his NFL debut in the Chiefs' regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.[15] He earned his first start in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders.[15] He recorded his first professional sack in Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.[16] He finished his rookie season with 35 total tackles and one sack in 17 games, of which he started eight.[15] Chenal won two Super Bowls, in his first two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. In Super Bowl LVII Chenal recorded six tackles and a sack as the Chiefs won 38–35 over the Philadelphia Eagles.[17] He was also a key factor for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, contributing 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, and a blocked extra point, helping the Chiefs win 25–22 in overtime over the San Francisco 49ers.[18] In Week 10 of the 2024 season, Chenal blocked the potential walk-off field goal from Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz, leading to him being named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. [19][20]

References

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  1. ^ Leo Chenal Ultimate College Highlights. YouTube. April 25, 2022. Event occurs at 0:16. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ "'A lot of schools are kicking themselves now': Wisconsin believed in Leo Chenal and the former Grantsburg star is flourishing". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. October 29, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  3. ^ Temple, Jesse (January 14, 2019). "A Wisconsin-born freak of nature, 2019 signee Leo Chenal was meant to play for the Badgers". The Athletic. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  4. ^ Potrykus, Jeff (April 9, 2019). "Badgers' Leo Chenal, a freshman linebacker from Grantsburg, appears to have the right stuff". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  5. ^ Williams, Scott (November 9, 2018). "Iola-Scandinavia beats Grantsburg to Advance to state title game". Stevens point journal. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  6. ^ Coy, Stacy (December 13, 2018). "Leo Chenal named Gatorade Player of the Year". Burnett County Sentinel. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  7. ^ Potrykus, Jeff (August 3, 2019). "Wisconsin freshman linebacker Leo Chenal continues to impress". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  8. ^ Bartholomew, Colten (October 20, 2020). "'That man is crazy': ILB Leo Chenal ready to put 'high-level' physical skills on field". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  9. ^ Bailey, Analis (September 4, 2021). "Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal tests positive for COVID-19, out two weeks". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  10. ^ "'I don't know what else he has got to prove': UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard raves about Leo Chenal's pro potential". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  11. ^ "Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Leo Chenal entering NFL draft". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  12. ^ "Leo Chenal Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  13. ^ "2022 Draft Scout Leo Chenal, Wisconsin NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  14. ^ McMullen, Matt (April 30, 2022). "Five Things to Know About Chiefs' Third-Round Pick Wisconsin LB Leo Chenal | 2022 NFL Draft". Chiefs.com. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c "Leo Chenal 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  16. ^ Strozinsky, Lucas (November 15, 2022). "KC Chiefs rookie report: Isiah Pacheco starts versus Jaguars". Arrowhead Addict. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  17. ^ "Super Bowl LVII – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs – February 12th, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  18. ^ "Super Bowl LVIII – San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs – February 11th, 2024". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  19. ^ "LB Leo Chenal keeps Chiefs' undefeated season alive with game-winning FG block vs. Broncos". nfl.com. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  20. ^ "Leo Chenal named AFC special teams player of the week". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
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