Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has led the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff Semifinal. Let’s examine Leonard’s NFL Draft stock, when he is projected to be selected, and which NFL teams make sense as a possible landing spot for the 22-year-old.
Leonard’s Background and Scouting Report
The leap to college football is often a test to see who can acclimate quickly. Leonard passed that test with flying colors at Duke.
After arriving on campus in 2021 as just a three-star recruit out of Fairhope, Ala., Leonard started a game as a true freshman. In 2022, as just a true sophomore, Leonard completed 63.8% of his throws for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions while also running for 699 yards and 13 scores.
Leonard’s early success is something not many have shared over the years, nor is his quick maturation; he was a team captain in 2023. But he doesn’t get swept up in the accolades.
In fact, the 2022 Military Bowl MVP famously receives “you suck” texts from his mother before each game — a unique motivation tactic that ensures he never gets complacent.
After the 2023 season, however, doubts may be easier to come by from the crowd. In a year marred by injuries and poor support, Leonard started just seven games. And over that span, he completed a career-low 57.6% of his passes for 1,102 yards, three TDs, and three INTs.
At one point early in the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, Leonard was viewed as a potential early-round riser. But now, he’s viewed more as a mid-to-late round prospect.
After transferring to Notre Dame, Leonard has thrown for 2,383 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions on a 66.5% completion percentage while also rushing for 831 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Throughout his collegiate career, Leonard has totaled 6,833 passing yards, 42 passing touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, plus 2,055 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns on the ground.
In PFN’s latest seven-round mock draft, Leonard was projected to get picked in the fifth round (No. 172 overall) by the Buffalo Bills.
At around 6’4″, 217 pounds, Leonard is a prototypical passer with good arm strength, near-elite arm elasticity, and extremely impressive functional athleticism and running ability for his size. With his athleticism, he’s a dynamic rushing threat, and his passing upside is alluring.
With his arm elasticity, Leonard has flashed the ability to layer passes into incredibly tight and precise windows while maintaining velocity, and he also flashes the necessary processing capacity and anticipation to pick out those tight windows in real-time.
However, at this stage, a lack of down-to-down consistency with pocket management, poise under pressure, mechanical congruence, and timing has prevented Leonard from reaching his full potential.
Leonard has the talent and operational upside to rise in the 2025 NFL Draft class. Right now, Leonard, who’ll turn 23 years old in September of 2025, is a viable Day 3 selection with distant starter potential.
Possible Suitors In the 2025 NFL Draft
Let’s examine some of the top landing spots for Allar if he enters the 2025 NFL Draft.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders will likely move on from the duo of Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O’Connell this offseason, and they will be looking for a new quarterback who can take the reins. While it initially looked like the Raiders might pick No. 1 or No. 2 in the 2025 NFL Draft, their late-season success caused them to slip to the No. 6 overall pick.
With Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward expected to be off the board by the time the Raiders are on the clock, perhaps they will fill other holes early in the draft and then select Leonard in the mid-to-late rounds. This would be a solid landing spot for Leonard, as Brock Bowers is already establishing himself as one of the league’s very best tight ends, Jakobi Meyers is a solid second receiver, and he’d have minority owner Tom Brady as a mentor.
New York Giants
After releasing Daniel Jones, the New York Giants are in the market for a new quarterback. New York met with the QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft and reportedly tried to trade up to select one, but they weren’t able to complete a deal and instead selected Malik Nabers at No. 6 overall. If New York missed on both Sanders and Ward at No. 3 overall, maybe they take the best player available (like Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter) and then address the quarterback position later.
The Giants recently announced that they are sticking with head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, and their top priority this offseason will be finding their quarterback of the future.
This landing spot is more attractive for Leonard since Daboll is still in charge, as he has a solid track record of developing young quarterbacks. With Nabers in town for the foreseeable future and a dynamic young running back in Tyrone Tracy Jr., Leonard would have some electrifying weapons.
Honorable Mention: Cleveland Browns and New York Jets