Player Profile

GAMES/STARTS: 2000 (4/0 - S.D.), 2001 (16/13 - S.D.), 2002 (16/6 - S.D.), 2003 (5/0 - S.D.). Totals - 41/19.

PRO: With only a three-man rotation at defensive tackle, the Dallas Cowboys were looking to add depth to the position when they signed Leonardo Carson on Oct. 18. Carson is a four-year NFL veteran that has started 19 career games. His size and experience playing in a similar defensive scheme in San Diego should allow him to contribute immediately.

2003: Carson saw action in five games as a reserve defensive tackle for the Chargers before being released Oct. 14. He recorded two tackles with San Diego, one against Denver (9/14) and one at Oakland (9/28). He signed with Dallas on Oct. 18 and was inactive at Detroit (10/19) in his first game with Dallas.

2002: While starting six-of-16 games played, Carson recorded 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three passes defensed and a fumble recovery. He opened the season with a tackle and a sack at Cincinnati (9/8), two stops against Houston (9/15), three tackles at Arizona (9/22) and two stops against New England (9/29). He registered two tackles against Kansas City (10/13), then tallied three stops and a sack at Oakland (10/20) and three tackles against the N.Y. Jets (11/3). He posted another three tackles against San Francisco (11/17). He made another solid push to close the season, totaling 12 tackles and a sack over the final month of the season. He began the run with two stops against Denver (12/1). He then totaled two tackles agains Oakland (12/8) and two tackles and half a sack at Buffalo (12/15). He posted anoth-er two stops at Kansas City (12/22) before closing the season with a season-high four stops and a sack against Seattle (12/29).

2001: .Carson finished his first full NFL season with 33 tackles, three sacks, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries while starting 13 of the 16 games in which he played. He totaled four tackles against Cincinnati (9/30) before totaling two stops and blocking a field goal at Cleveland (10/7) and two more stops at New England (10/14). He recorded three stops against Kansas City (11/4) and again the following week at Denver (11/11). Carson tallied two tackles and his first sack of the year at Oakland (11/18), then totaled another three stops and a pass defensed against Arizona (11/25). He closed the season with a flurry over the final five games, posting 13 tackles and two sacks. He opened the stretch with four tackles and a sack at Seattle (12/2), then recorded a season-high five stops at Philadelphia (12/9). He posted two stops against Oakland (12/15) and two tackles and a sack at Kansas City (12/23) before not recording any statistics in the season finale against Seattle (12/30).

2000: After being drafted by San Diego in the fourth round (113th overall), Carson saw action in four of the first 10 games of the season, posting two tackles. He tallied a single stop at St. Louis (10/1) and another tackle against Oakland (10/29) before tearing his right rotator cuff at Seattle (11/5). He was placed on Reserve/Injured on Nov. 17 with the rotator cuff injury.

COLLEGE: Carson finished his career at Auburn with 224 tackles, 47 tackles for losses, 17 sacks, four passes defensed, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions as a defensive end while earning All-Southeastern Conference honors twice. He earned All-SEC honors following a senior season in which he totaled 43 tackles, 28 stops for losses, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. As a junior, he posted 90 stops, 8.5 sacks, eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage, two pass-es defensed, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to earn All-SEC honors. Carson recorded 59 tackles, nine stops for losses, two sacks, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery as a sophomore. As a true freshman, he tallied 32 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two tackles for losses and two fumble recoveries while moving into the starting lineup for the final four games of the season.

PERSONAL: Leonardo Tremayne Carson was an all-America senior quarterback at Shaw High school in Mobile, Ala. He was rated as one of the top recruits in Alabama by several regional and nation-al publications. As a senior, he threw for 934 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 1,104 yards and 12 touchdowns. The public administration major has two daughters - K�Myah and Morgan.