Leonte Carroo has Passion for the Game
By Steve Boland
Leonte Carroo has brought the same grit and energy to football since his high school days at Don Bosco Preparatory School. His drive and energy is derived from his path to the NFL.
Getting to football was Carroo’s most difficult challenge in his early years, but in doing so, he demonstrated his commitment to the game. Living in Edison, NJ, would have to wake up at 4:30 to get to school for practice, a measurable 50+ miles away.
As the journey became more difficult by the day, Leonte was soon welcomed in by Mike Yankovich, his quarterback, and the rest of his family to live with for football, as the family lived in Ramsey, NJ, the same town as the school. Carroo’s willingness to move away from home just to be closer to the sport was just the first challenge he overcame in his football journey.
“From that junior year experience, I told myself I would try not to drop a pass again because it was embarrassing” – Leonte Carroo
Carroo, however, had a comfortable transition, and his performance on the field was assurance that he had made the right move. He easily became one of the top receivers for the team but faced his second challenge during the championship game his junior season— he dropped 6 potential touchdown catches.
Although his team won, this moment became the drive for his preparation for each game the rest of his football career. From that point on every single day he would catch balls and keep a jug machine outside his house with the goal of never having a dropped pass again.
Video: Best Hands in the 16' Rookie WR Class - @MiamiDolphins LEONTE CARROO (@LeonteCarroo1) pic.twitter.com/RlCX3Byc0c
— Nellz (@NellzSoTrilla) May 12, 2016
In the 2014 season at Rutgers, Carroo didn’t drop a single pass. His hard work has paid off to this point, but he still has a lot to prove. The team views him as one of the steals of the draft and as a man who believes he is the top receiver in the draft class, he will bring a special drive to excel in Miami. His attitude should have coaches and fans excited to see how he will perform.
"That’s something I take pride in each and every day. I plan on doing that for the rest of my life — catching, catching, catching balls.” -Leonte Carroo"