Leighton Vander Esch MLB #55 85 OVR
6'4''
Height
256
Weight
30
Age
8 yrs
Exp
Boise State
College
X-Factor
Dev
391
Trade Value
Drafted: 20th Pick, 1st Round
Trade Worth: Mid 2nd Rd Pick
$17.00M
Contract
5
Years
$20.76M
Signing Bonus
$7.93M
Salary
$12.46M
Cap Penalty
3
Years Left
Mind Reader
The best defenders are capable of dismantling an offense like they knew the playcall the whole time. When they enter the zone, they can see offensive play art via coach cam.
Make hit-stick tackles
Don't allow yards
Short Route KO
Defenders with this ability force more catch tackle knockouts in man-to-man versus short routes less than 10 yards from LoS
Demoralizer
Defenders with this ability will clear a ballcarrier's progress towards entering the zone with a hit-stick tackle.
Secure Tackler
Defenders with this ability have an increased success rate when using conservative or diving tackles.
| 2026 Regular Season | Defense | |||||||||||
| WK | GAME | RESULT | Tck | Sck | Int | FF | FRec | Defl | Ctha | Sfty | TD | |
| 1 | HST3 @ TKY2 | 28 - 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | HST3 @ RIO | 16 - 49 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | HST3 @ BA | 48 - 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Defense Stats | |||||||
| Year | Team | Tackles | Sacks | FF | INT | TD | |
| 2022 | Portland Snowhawks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Portland Snowhawks | 75 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | Houston Blues | 34 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2024 | Portland Snowhawks | 44 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2025 | Houston Blues | 23 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2026 | Houston Blues | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |