Where will Riley Leonard be drafted? What scouting reports say about 2025 NFL Draft chances

Riley Leonard had an incredible final college season in 2024, helping lead Notre Dame to three playoff wins and a national championship game appearance. Now, Leonard is making the move to the NFL, but it's unclear where will go in the draft.

Leonard isn't a typical quarterback prospect, as his college success was largely due to his dual-threat ability. However, the 22-year-old is not as productive of a passer as most of his contemporaries in this year's draft class, making his draft profile murkier.

Here's a breakdown of where Leonard may land during the draft.

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Where will Riley Leonard be drafted?

Leonard should be drafted at some point this weekend, but it will likely happen on Saturday. The former Duke and Notre Dame quarterback was more known for his running ability in college than he was for his passing ability, which isn't the best combination for a quarterback at the next level.

Leonard's toughness and pedigree still make him an intriguing prospect for teams looking for a developmental player. However, most draft analysts view him as a potential backup at the next level instead of someone with starter potential.

"He’s a dual-threat quarterback who falls more firmly on the side of grit than gifted. He can make controlled throws inside his comfort level, but his accuracy and timing dip when he has to work beyond primary reads," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein said, labeling Leonard as a fifth-round player. "He needs a solid running game and advantages at the skill positions to function on a pro level, but even then his play might be more dependent on his legs than his eyes and arm."

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The Athletic's Dane Brugler views Leonard in a similar fashion, ranking the quarterback as his No. 164 overall player.

"Leonard has an interesting upside because of his athletic passing tools and elite makeup, but it will take time for him to develop NFL-caliber field vision and pocket rhythm," Brugler said. "He projects as a backup in a scheme that leverages his mobility."

Still, not everyone is that low on Leonard. Yahoo's Nate Tice has Leonard as his fifth-best quarterback in the draft, and No. 63 overall, making it possible that a team feels the same way,

"Leonard’s tools, toughness, and ability to avoid negative plays make him intriguing to me, and his overall passing has picked up as the season went along as Notre Dame’s offense – and personnel – started to mature," Tice said.

So, while it seems like Leonard is viewed as a day-three player, all it takes is one team to agree with Tice and take him in the second or third round.

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Riley Leonard college stats

Leonard's dual-threat ability made him a viable starter in college, totaling 36 rushing touchdowns compared to 45 passing touchdowns in his career. In fact, Leonard had two seasons where he ran for more scores than he threw, as teams really leaned into his rushing ability.

This past season, Leonard was at his best, leading to Notre Dame to the national title game in his lone season with the Fighting Irish. He also had career highs in pretty much every category, albeit largely due to playing 16 total games.