2025 NFL Draft stock down: Riley Leonard a first-round hype to developmental prospect

Heading into the season, expectations were sky-high for Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. Many draft analysts projected him as a potential first-round pick, with Draftwire predicting he could go ninth overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. While I wasn’t as high on Leonard, grading him as a fourth-round prospect, even I expected him to perform better than he has so far this season.

In his season opener against Texas A&M, Leonard struggled with accuracy, missing too many open receivers and finishing with just a 58.7 passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus. His performance worsened in the second game, where Notre Dame suffered an upset loss to Northern Illinois. Once again, his accuracy was lacking, and he threw two interceptions, including a crucial one in the fourth quarter.

One reason for his struggles is his lack of pocket presence. At Duke, he wasn’t often asked to operate from the pocket, as the offense frequently moved him outside. This inexperience is evident in his play this season. He tends to get "happy feet" in the pocket, focusing on the pressure around him, even when the protection is solid.

Leonard’s poor footwork is another issue. His inconsistent accuracy is largely due to his struggles with proper body alignment. For example, on his second interception against Northern Illinois, he missed his receiver badly because his body was angled too far left, causing the ball to sail off-target. In addition, he sometimes widens his base too much, further hurting his accuracy.

How Notre Dame can help Riley Leonard

Despite these areas for improvement, Notre Dame’s offense could be doing more to suit Leonard's strengths. One option is to incorporate more sprint-out passes, allowing him to use his mobility and throw on the run, which he excels at compared to pocket passing. The Irish could also lean more into RPOs (run-pass options) to play to his abilities.

Although Leonard's draft stock has fallen from the first-round projections some experts had for him, I still give him a high Day 3 grade. His mobility, strong arm, and potential make him an intriguing developmental quarterback. In the right system—one that gets the quarterback on the move—he could develop into a starter two to three years down the line, especially with improved footwork and a scheme tailored to his game.