Subscribe
Follow Us
Since losing in the national championship game to Ohio State, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has fallen beneath the radar as an NFL draft prospect.
While his final season was a universal success, Leonard still hasn’t been able to crack into that sweet spot for quarterback prospects. At this point, he is projected by most evaluators as a third-day pick.
However, in an ESPN+ insider's story detailing the draft’s most polarizing prospects, Jeremy Fowler spoke to multiple anonymous talent evaluators who were surprisingly positive about Leonard’s upside.
“They like him in the top three to five in the quarterback class. In what's considered a weaker QB draft group, Leonard's intangibles and explosiveness stand out,” an AFC scout told Fowler.
Leonard as a top-three-to-five quarterback is a bold claim, considering Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, Quinn Ewers, Jalen Milroe, Kyle McCord, and Jaxson Dart are indexed as superior prospects in the 2025 draft class by many. It could also be a smokescreen.
Leonard has a better chance of being the first human on Mars than he does of cracking the top three. The top five is possible if a team falls head over heels in love with him; however, it's still far-fetched. There’s a wide gap between Leonard and Ewers or McCord.
Why scouts are on the fence about Riley Leonard
Article Continues Below
Another unnamed AFC scout toed the consensus line by telling Fowler that he doesn’t buy it. A second scout shared that sentiment, “Big, athletic, raw basketball background, smart, great kid, super tough — just not accurate or a gifted passer,” the scout told Fowler.
However, Leonard being viewed as a potential sleeper is fascinating scuttlebutt. There have been red flags about Leonard’s downfield passing accuracy, and despite his experience, Leonard is viewed as a developmental project.
The Irish quarterback completed 66.7% of his attempts last season for 2,861 yards while passing for 21 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. Leonard’s versatility was also on display en route to the national championship game as he masked over 900 yards and 17 touchdowns rushing. Yet, there’s been virtually no buzz surrounding his stock since the season ended.
Leonard will likely be drafted on Day 3, but it’s not clear when he’ll come off the board.
