NFL Draft Daily Dish: Scouting Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke and Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard

The biggest game of the day today is between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first round of the college football playoffs. This game features two NFL Draft prospects at the quarterback position and in today’s NFL Draft Daily  Dish, we take a look at both Kurtis Rourke of Indiana and Riley Leonard of Notre Dame. 

Kurtis Rourke's scouting report

One of the most remarkable stories in college football this season has been the resurgence of the Indiana Hoosiers. After finishing with a dismal 3-9 record last year, the Hoosiers have turned things around to post an impressive 11-1 record under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti. A key factor in this dramatic turnaround has been the stellar play of quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who was named Second-Team All-Big Ten after throwing for 2,827 yards, 27 touchdown passes, and achieving a career-high 70% completion percentage.

Rourke’s success represents exactly what Indiana hoped for when they recruited him from the transfer portal. Before joining the Hoosiers, Rourke had a standout five-year career at Ohio University, where he was named the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year and earned All-MAC honors last season.

Breaking down Rourke's game reveals several standout qualities. First and foremost is his exceptional accuracy. Completing 70% of his passes this season, Rourke displayed elite ball placement, consistently giving Indiana’s receivers opportunities to make plays after the catch. Another strength is his high football IQ. Indiana relied on Rourke to read defenses pre-snap, which he did with great effectiveness. He also processes his reads quickly, averaging just 2.56 seconds to release the ball, according to Pro Football Focus. Additionally, his excellent footwork, praised by the Blair Quarterback Academy, is a cornerstone of his accuracy and overall success as a passer.

However, there are some concerns about Rourke’s NFL potential. The primary issue is his lack of elite arm strength. On deep routes such as corners, posts, or go patterns, his throws tend to lose velocity, which could limit the types of passing concepts he can execute at the next level. This deficiency also gives NFL defensive backs more time to react to his passes. Another concern is his athleticism; while sufficient for the college level, Rourke is only an average athlete. He occasionally struggles to throw on the move and doesn’t pose much of a threat in the running game. Lastly, his injury history raises red flags. He battled a thumb injury this season and tore his ACL in 2022, which could lead to durability concerns in the NFL.

As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, Rourke is projected as a mid-round pick, carrying a fourth-round grade according to NFL Draft Daily Dish’s draft board. His best fit will likely be in a system that emphasizes short to intermediate passing rather than one that relies on stretching defenses vertically. While Rourke may not be a top-tier NFL prospect, his precision, intelligence, and reliability make him an intriguing option for teams looking for a quarterback on day three of the NFL Draft.

Riley Leonard's scouting report

On Friday night, Kurtis Rourke will face off against Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. Like Rourke, Leonard entered the transfer portal following the 2023 season, leaving Duke in search of a new opportunity. However, Leonard’s season started on a rough note, as he failed to throw a touchdown in his first three games and threw two interceptions in a 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois.

"We lost to NIU, and it was completely my fault. Like, that’s not me ‘taking the blame’ or anything. That’s just kind of a fact. And after the game, it’s hard to even describe how bad I felt."

Leonard via the Players Tribune

Fortunately, Leonard rebounded after that tough loss, leading Notre Dame to ten consecutive wins. During that stretch, he threw only two more interceptions and accounted for a total of 26 touchdowns. His performances included dominant victories over ranked opponents, such as a 51-14 rout of Navy and a 49-14 thrashing of Army.

When comparing Leonard and Rourke as NFL prospects, their styles and strengths are markedly different. While Rourke is a prototypical pocket passer, Leonard is a dynamic athlete who stands out for his physicality as a runner. His ability to break tackles and extend plays with his legs has drawn comparisons to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Additionally, Leonard’s athleticism allows him to escape the pocket and deliver big throws on the move.

However, Leonard’s pocket presence remains an area of concern for scouts. He often rushes his decision-making under pressure, leading to forced throws and inconsistent mechanics. This issue was particularly evident during his final season at Duke in 2023 when his footwork frequently broke down, adversely affecting his accuracy. Leonard completed less than 52% of his passes in four of the seven games he played that season, including against every top-25 opponent he faced.

In terms of draft projection, Leonard carries a fourth-round grade, similar to Rourke. However, the teams interested in Leonard will likely differ. Teams with offensive schemes that prioritize quarterback mobility—such as those of the Buffalo Bills or Philadelphia Eagles—are more likely to value Leonard’s skill set. These schemes emphasize moving the quarterback out of the pocket and incorporating him into the run game, which aligns well with Leonard’s strengths.