Former EMCC and Starkville standout Raphael Leonard named Lions’ assistant football coach

SCOOBA – Former all-conference wide receiver Raphael Leonard has returned to the Scooba campus to begin his coaching career by serving as East Mississippi Community College’s wide receivers coach. The hiring announcement was made this week by EMCC head football coach Buddy Stephens.

“We’re elated to have Raphael on our EMCC coaching staff after being a vital part of our 2016 conference championship team,” Stephens said. “He’s a classy young man who is a Starkville native, so he’s one of our guys who’s coming back home to begin his coaching career with the Lions.”

Leonard, a former all-state receiver at Starkville High School, previously earned MACJC All-North Division second-team honors during EMCC’s 2016 conference championship season that resulted in a No. 2 NJCAA final ranking after finishing the year with 11 consecutive wins. In addition to leading the Lions with seven touchdown receptions, Leonard ranked as the team’s fifth-leading receiver with 23 catches for 357 yards and an average of 15.5 yards per grab.

“I am excited to begin my coaching career with the school that helped me love the game of football again,” Leonard said. “I’m ready to help our young players both on and off the field, as we strive to maintain the football excellence we’ve achieved here at EMCC.”

Following his one previous season in Scooba and on the heels of primarily seeing special teams action as a freshman (2015) at Florida Atlantic University, Leonard closed out his collegiate career with a productive two-year playing stint at Southern Illinois University. As a two-year starter (2017-18) for the Salukis, Leonard compiled 91 career receptions for 1,377 yards (15.1 yds/rec) and 12 touchdowns.

After ranking fourth on the 2017 SIU club with 34 catches for 530 yards and five touchdown receptions, Leonard collected second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference accolades as a senior after posting career-high totals of 57 receptions for 847 yards and seven touchdown catches. During back-to-back games his senior season, Leonard had six catches for 117 receiving yards against Ole Miss followed by career-best efforts of 11 receptions for 124 yards versus Southeast Missouri State, including a pair of scoring grabs in each contest.

Following his collegiate playing days, Leonard’s five-year professional football career began in 2019 as an undrafted free agent by the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. His first taste of pro experience came during the inaugural season (2021) of the Fan Controlled Football indoor league as a member of the Wild Aces’ team that claimed the FCF’s People’s Championship.

Leonard spent the majority of the last two years playing for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League. During his initial CFL season a year ago, he made five regular-season appearances, including two starts at defensive back. After making it to the Elks’ final cut earlier this year with 10 preseason receptions, Leonard was signed to the Ottawa Redblacks’ practice roster in June before his Magnolia State homecoming became available in Scooba.

As a three-sport high school standout (football, basketball and baseball) for the Starkville Yellow Jackets, Leonard capped his SHS career by totaling 60 receptions for 1,147 yards (19.1 yds/rec) and 14 touchdown catches. He posted five 100-yard receiving games as a prep senior, highlighted by 171 yards against Columbus and 169 yards versus Oxford, including three scores in each contest. Leonard also earned team MVP honors for his home state at the 2014 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic.