The Indianapolis Colts drafted a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft but it wasn't until late in the process, snagging Notre Dame signal-caller Riley Leonard in the sixth round. Leonard spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Duke (fellow Colts quarterback Daniel Jones' alma mater) before transferring to Notre Dame for the final year of his eligibility.
During his one season with the Fighting Irish, Leonard threw for over 2,800 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight picks in 16 games. Where he really shined though was on the ground, as Leonard tallied over 900 rushing yards and 17 trips into the end zone with his legs. Leonard helped lead Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff National Championship where ultimately, the Fighting Irish fell short.
While there's not a realistic path to Leonard as the Colts starting quarterback anytime soon (unless injuries pile up, of course), Marcus Freeman, his head coach at Notre Dame, said Leonard's going to continue improving and become an intriguing name in the league.
"A lot of the talk is, he's an ascending player," Freeman said. "He'll be a guy that isn't near his ceiling. He can continue to improve, which is intriguing for the NFL."
Colts fans should keep an eye on Riley Leonard
Now, again, Leonard won't be starting for the Colts this season unless injuries occur or if Richardson and Jones are truly abysmal. It's also worth noting that of course his college coach is going to say something polite about him but rather than take the "Oh yeah he's going to be a starting quarterback for sure" route, Freeman's take was more realistic. He admits that Leonard "isn't near his ceiling" yet.
Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson will square off for the starting quarterback job this summer with Leonard competing with former UDFA Jason Bean for the third-string job. If Leonard can stave off Bean for the QB3 gig, maybe the Notre Dame product can work his way into a more promising role for the Colts, even if that's as a backup.
Hopefully this pick turns into something positive for the Colts, especially with their quarterback woes in recent years. Leonard has an opportunity to show what he can do this summer and Colts fans will be keeping a close eye on him to see if maybe there's a shot he can have a bigger role in the future.