Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is one of six quarterbacks competing in the Senior Bowl, along with Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Dillon Gabriel (Oregon), Seth Henigan (Memphis), and Tyler Shough (Louisville).
Riley Leonard is a day three prospect who will most likely be picked in the fifth or sixth round. But there’s a lot to admire about the 22-year-old quarterback, even if he’s unlikely to be selected in the first two days of the NFL Draft. Leonard is tall and agile, with a powerful arm and wheels that make him an effective dual-threat weapon. He’s shown that he can handle a hard workload as a runner, running the ball 184 times for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns in his one season at Notre Dame.
Leonard has more than two months to improve his draft position and establish himself as a prospect, starting with the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Only 20 miles from where Leonard played high school basketball.
“I believe I have a lot to prove over the coming months. I’m a win-at-all-costs sort of guy, and I believe that being able to use my legs in college helped my team win, so that’s what I did,” Leonard remarked on Saturday morning. “But if that means staying in the pocket, and I gotta work on some mechanical things but anything I put my mind to, I think I can accomplish.”
Leonard acknowledged scouts’ concerns about him as he prepares for the NFL. His pocket mechanics and accuracy are lacking, as is his inclination to throw out of sacks, which he will be unable to accomplish as efficiently in the NFL as he did in college. Even yet, there are traits that can be remedied with the correct coaching, so Leonard is definitely worth considering for any team looking for a young backup quarterback next season.
