IRVING, Texas -If you ask undrafted rookie Ronald Leary whether or not he is happy with his game, you might initially be a little concerned with the response.
"No. No, not happy at all," Leary said Friday.
But spend a few more minutes with the 319-pound guard out of Memphis and you'll learn that he is never satisfied with his game, because that would take away from his constant desire to improve.
"I hold myself to a real high standard, so I'm never really pleased," said Leary, who may compete for a starting spot as early as this year. "I have a lot of things to work on technique-wise and I'm just trying to put it all together.
Leary's apparent success to this point is all the more impressive because he spent most of his collegiate career playing tackle. He claims to still have a lot to learn at the position, but that it's all part of a larger learning process that comes with being a rookie.
"I'm nowhere near where I want to be," Leary said. "As far as transitioning, I don't think it's a tackle to guard thing, I think it's more about transitioning to the NFL because it's a different game. I'm just trying to get all the techniques from my coach and talk to the vets and pick up all the little things to better my game."
Prior to the draft, many projected Leary as a mid-round pick until a concerning knee condition was noticed, scaring off most teams. The injury is said to not limit him in the short term, but could possibly cut short his career.
But ask Leary about his knee, and he returns to a certain level of bluntness.
"My knee is perfect," Leary said. "100 percent"
Press him a little further and he'll share his opinion on all the skeptics of his long-term health.
"Man, I've heard a lot of different things that are apparently wrong with my knee," Leary said. "But to me, there's nothing wrong with my knee. Nobody can tell me how I feel but me. It doesn't hurt me, it doesn't hinder me. See, I don't wear a brace or anything. My knee feels fine. If Leary's self-prognosis is correct, then, factoring in his impressive reps thus far and his desire to improve, he may end up being one of the steals of the summer.
