Leighton Vander Esch was drafted No. 19 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Boise State. 71 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 35 career approximate value
2018 NFL Draft · Rd 1, Pick 19 · #19 overall
Leighton Vander Esch Boise State Draft
Leighton Vander Esch was drafted No. 19 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Boise State. 71 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 35 career approximate value
1× Pro Bowl
- Overall pick
- #19
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 2018
- NFL games
- 71
- Years as starter
- 5
- Career AV
- 358th at Boise State
- Pro Bowls
- 1
The pick
How Leighton Vander Esch came off the board in 2018.
- Position
- Outside linebacker OLB
- Measurables
- 6'4" · 256 lbs
- Hometown
- Riggins, ID
- Pre-draft board
- No. 32 prospect86.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
71 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 35 career approximate value
- Games played
- 71
- Seasons as a starter
- 5
- Career approximate value
- 358th among Boise State picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 35100% of career value
- Final season
- 20235 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 1× Pro Bowl
Around pick 19
Who came off the board on either side of Leighton Vander Esch.
Florida State · 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
Louisville · 2× Pro Bowl
Arkansas · 4× Pro Bowl
Ohio State
Boise State in the 2018 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Leighton Vander Esch in the 2018 NFL Draft
Leighton Vander Esch is a Outside linebacker out of Boise State selected No. 19 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft. 71 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 35 career approximate value Boise State has produced 59 NFL draft picks since 1981.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Leighton Vander Esch drafted?
Leighton Vander Esch was selected No. 19 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft (Rd 1, Pick 19). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2018/leighton-vander-esch.
What college did Leighton Vander Esch play for?
Leighton Vander Esch played college football at Boise State in the Mountain West. See every Boise State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/boise-state-broncos.
How did Leighton Vander Esch's NFL career turn out?
71 regular-season games · 5 seasons as a starter · 35 career approximate value Accolades: 1× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2018/leighton-vander-esch.