Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has led the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff National Championship against Ohio State.
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.
Riley Leonard’s Background and Scouting Report
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 217 pounds
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Notre Dame
- Current Year: Senior
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 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions on a 66.4% completion percentage while rushing for 866 yards and 16 touchdowns.
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.
Leonard’s Current 2025 NFL Mock Draft Projection
In PFN’s latest seven-round 2025 NFL mock draft, Leonard is projected to go in the fifth round to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Leonard is ranked No. 83 on Dalton Miller’s Top 100 NFL Draft Big Board: “It’s easy to make the comparison because they played in the same uniform for a long time, but Riley Leonard and Daniel Jones are incredibly similar players.
“Leonard can operate within the confines of a quick passing attack and be a legitimate danger on the hoof as an improviser and on designed looks. He also lacks downfield desire and ability, the downfall of Jones’ career as an NFL starter.
“However, Leonard could be an intriguing draft-and-develop candidate who you could create offensive packages for in a Taysom Hill-esque role under center while trying to extract some aggressiveness out of his naturally careful game.”
Possible Suitors In the 2025 NFL Draft
Let’s examine some of the top landing spots for Leonard in 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’ top priority this offseason will be finding their quarterback of the future. This landing spot is more attractive for Leonard since Brian Daboll is still in town, as he has a solid track record of developing young quarterbacks. With Nabers in New York for the foreseeable future and a dynamic young running back in Tyrone Tracy Jr., Leonard would have some electrifying weapons.
Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets
