Pros and Cons: Will the Colts Select Notre Dame Star Riley Leonard in the 2025 NFL Draft?

SOUTH BEND — Former Notre Dame Football quarterback Riley Leonard has officially become an NFL rookie following his selection by the team. Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round (189th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft .

Here's what Leonard brings to the Colts based on his career with the Irish:

The Natural: How Riley Leonard gains the respect of his Notre Dame football teammates naturally without pushing too hard

What Riley Leonard contributes to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL Draft

Someone who started later but had switched over from Duke for his final college season, Riley Leonard nearly led Notre Dame football to its first national championship since 1988. Voted a team captain in his final two seasons, Leonard went a combined 27-10 as the starter for the Blue Devils and the Irish.

A gifted athlete with a 6-foot-4, 216-pound frame, Leonard averaged 4.9 yards per carry at Notre Dame and often called his own number in short-yardage situations. He converted 68 first downs by rush, pushed his career rushing touchdown total to 36 (17 last season) and showed an ability to bounce back from ferocious hits.

Riley Leonard's highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Notre Dame

Questions still surround his precision and throwing power, yet the previous high school basketball player might possess significant unexplored talent in football. Over three consecutive seasons, Leonard was part of three different offensive schemes.

Although he was expected to be selected in the middle rounds during most pre-draft forecasts, Leonard threw for 54 yards completing six out of seven passes at the Senior Bowl. This performance occurred merely 12 days following his team’s defeat in the College Football Playoff finals against Ohio State, where Notre Dame lost with a score of 34-23.

Riley Leonard's stats for the Notre Dame football team

Leonard concluded his career with a completion percentage of 63.7%. However, this statistic improved to 66.7% when he was part of Mike Denbrock’s Irish offensive scheme. Throughout his time at Notre Dame, Leonard maintained an impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio of 45 to 18 over his career, which included personal bests with 21 touchdowns and 8 interceptions during his tenure there.

Mike Berardino reports on Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. You can follow him on social media at @MikeBerardino.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Pros and cons of Indianapolis Colts picking Notre Dame football's Riley Leonard in 2025 NFL Draft