Riley Leonard had an up-and-down college career but enters the NFL Draft after lifting a Duke program into the national spotlight before transferring to Notre Dame in 2024. At Duke, Leonard was the engine that drove the Blue Devils offense in 2023. He carried his team in big moments, but was never able to finish the job, due to ankle and toe injuries. As one of the top prospects in the transfer portal in the spring of 2024, Leonard landed at Notre Dame and helped the Fighting Irish reach the College Football Playoff National Championship. He enters the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the most athletic and accomplished quarterbacks in the class. Not all scouts, however, will view him the same.
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2025 NFL Draft: Riley Leonard Scouting Report
Measurables:
6’4″
216 pounds
Player Background:
Leonard was a decorated athlete coming out of Fairhope High School in Alabama. He also ran track and played basketball in high school but chose football. At Duke, there are stories of him playing pickup games with members of the men’s basketball team and even holding his own. Not many football players can say that, let alone quarterbacks. Leonard’s athleticism was on full display at Duke, and Elko and offensive coordinator Kevin Johns built much of their game plan around their quarterback’s dual-threat ability. Notre Dame landing Leonard in the transfer portal was a huge boon for the program and one reason why they nearly went undefeated in 2024.
When Mike Denbrock came over from LSU, after having coached a Heisman-winning season out of Jayden Daniels in 2023, the expectations were high for the pairing of he and Leonard at Notre Dame. Leonard delivered, rushing for nearly 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2024. He also set career highs in passing attempts in 2024, but threw 8 interceptions in the process. Denbrock was able to design the offense to Leonard’s strengths without asking too much from him. The question then becomes, has Leonard’s ceiling been reached, or is there more room to develop?
Strengths:
Outside of being an exceptional athlete, Leonard has ideal size for a quarterback. He uses his frame to his advantage in the run game, and is unafraid to dish out contact. Once he gets to the second level, Leonard can be tough to bring down. From high school to college, his coaches have lauded his competitive spirit. Not only is Leonard physical as a runner, but he has the burst and acceleration to outrun defenders. Leonard’s mobility is arguably his best trait. At both Duke and Notre Dame, he was often counted on to convert crucial downs as a runner.
Inside the pocket, Leonard displayed good mobility and ability to avoid pressure. Even though he’s a special athlete, Leonard has improved his patience and showed he’s willing to hang in the pocket for receivers to get open instead of immediately taking off and running. The short and intermediate throws are Leonard’s bread and butter, and he has the ability to connect on throws while on the the run.
Leonard also doesn’t shy away from the bright lights or big moments. At Duke, he engineered an upset against highly ranked Clemson to start the 2023 season and nearly did the same against Notre Dame a few months later. In the 2024 College Football Playoffs, Leonard led Notre Dame to wins against vaunted defenses like Georgia and Penn State. His high-character and competitive spirit will appeal to some NFL teams.
Weaknesses:
Where Leonard struggles is testing deeper parts of the field. His lack of arm strength was evident and did not improve much as his career went on. Throughout college he was inconsistent on throws down field, which is why both the Duke and Notre Dame offenses were built around his running ability and a short passing game. When Leonard did attempt deep throws, he threw a few crucial interceptions. Teams in the NFL will have a solid blueprint on how to defend Leonard at the next level, and that starts with shrinking the field.
While he can make plays with his legs, Leonard needs to improve his timing and anticipation on deeper throws if he is going to have any success in the NFL. A team with an entrenched starter is the best fit for Leonard, and it would help if that starter had a similar mobility and skillset to help nurture his development.
Prospect Grade:
Day 3 – Developmental Prospect
Team Fits:
Indianapolis Colts
New York Jets
Denver Broncos
Film Exposure:
Texas A&M
Louisville
Penn State
Player Comp:
Trace McSorely
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images