The sheer number of prospects entering the professional ranks with 5+ years of college football experience is feeling more and more like the norm regarding this draft class.
One such player who managed to make the most of his fifth year of eligibility was Devin Leary, who found plenty of success in his lone season with the Kentucky Wildcats after spending four years with North Carolina State.
Oddly enough, Leary’s best production came during his 2021 campaign, where he threw for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore, but it regressed significantly in 2022 before transferring.
Leary has plenty of arm talent and did have one magical season that flashed starting upside at the next level, but the cons currently outweigh the pros, which makes him an intriguing project for a Day 3 prospect.
After pulling the data from the PFN Mock Draft Simulator, here are the teams that could be the best potential landing spots for Leary in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Which Teams Could Draft Devin Leary?
New York Jets
The Zach Wilson experiment had an extra year past life expectancy in New York last year, which produced the same exact disappointment we saw during his previous tenure under center. Needless to say, the backups behind Aaron Rodgers could use a significant upgrade.
One place where Leary looked comfortable during his collegiate career was operating out of play action, which New York ran at the 15th-highest rate in the league in 2023.
I know that number doesn’t seem all that high, but try to take into consideration just how often the Jets were trailing last year… which makes it difficult to call more play-action passes because the defense has no reason to believe you are actually going to run the football.
Leary’s projection as a pocket passer could make him an ideal developmental fit behind Rodgers for 2024 and could give the Jets a potential future starting option if Leary ever reaches his full potential.
Minnesota Vikings
Speaking of teams who run plenty of play-action passes, no team called more of those types of plays than the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. To be exact, they called 191 play-action passes last year, and that was with the struggling Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler as the rushing threats.
The team got an upgrade at the position this offseason with Aaron Jones and still boasts one of the best pass-catching trios in the league with Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison.
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The team added veteran quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason, but head coach Kevin O’Connell proved last year he is not shy about benching a struggling veteran in favor of a rookie quarterback. The exact situation I am referencing is Joshua Dobbs going to the bench in favor of Jaren Hall.
The odds of the Vikings not addressing the quarterback position in the first round of this draft with one of their selections is pretty slim, but if the board doesn’t fall favorably, then Leary is in play for a Day 3 selection.
New England Patriots
Starting a game at quarterback for the New England Patriots in 2024 is a potentially scary thought for some of these prospects due to their lack of playmakers outside of Demario Douglas. There is a new head coach, new offensive coordinator, and a completely new feel around the organization now that Bill Belichick is gone.
Speaking of the offensive coordinator, Alex Van Pelt is a bit of an unknown from a play-calling standpoint. He worked under Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski last year, who ran play-action passes at the third-highest rate in the NFL. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t put his own twist on the offense.
The Pats are highly likely to go quarterback at third overall after signing Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal and trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Leary still presents the type of pocket-based skill set that has been so popular in New England for the vast majority of the past 25 years.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are exceedingly likely to draft a quarterback at No. 1 overall after trading Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they could still double down on the position on Day 3. Shane Waldron is the new offensive coordinator in town and called play-action passes at the fifth-highest rate in the league last season.
Leary has the arm to attack opposing defenses on all three levels of the football field. He could pair well with top wideout DJ Moore’s ability to exploit more isolation man coverage opportunities this upcoming season and the arrivals of exceptional route-runner Keenan Allen and pass-catching threat D’Andre Swift out of the backfield.
Ultimately, this pick would likely be a developmental selection for Chicago and offer competition to Tyson Bagent for the backup spot, but it still could be an intriguing schematic fit for Leary entering the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The arrival of Arthur Smith as the new offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers again presents us with a potential landing spot for Leary, who could utilize his effectiveness in play action.
Smith called the fourth-most play-action concepts last year with the Atlanta Falcons and is certainly expected to continue that trend in the Steel City.
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The recent additions of Russell Wilson and the aforementioned Fields means Leary will be a Day 3 selection with virtually no chance of seeing the field in 2024, but this could be an ideal scenario if neither quarterback pans out with the Steelers this season.
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