The Indianapolis Colts surprised many by selecting Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard with the 189th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While it was a known possibility that a team might take Leonard in the later rounds, with the New Orleans Saints among rumored admirers, few saw him on the same level as Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, or even Dillon Gabriel. Still, Leonard has the tools to develop into a solid NFL quarterback.
With Leonard now in the mix, the Colts have some big decisions to make at quarterback.
Who Will Be the Colts’ Starting Quarterback in 2025?
Leonard is the youngest quarterback on the Colts’ roster, exactly 102 days younger than 2024 starter Anthony Richardson.
Along with Richardson, Leonard joins offseason addition Daniel Jones and 2024 undrafted free agent signing Jason Bean. Ideally, the Colts would love for Leonard and Bean to sit and develop while Jones and Richardson lead the team. But given the inconsistencies both veterans have shown, Leonard could find himself in the thick of a training camp battle from Day 1.
Here’s a quick breakdown of each quarterback’s chances:
Anthony Richardson
The Colts had a solid 2024 season, nearly making the playoffs. However, Anthony Richardson didn’t quite meet the high expectations fans and management had for him. His elite arm talent and athleticism flashed, but consistency remained a major concern.
In his sophomore season, Richardson started 11 games, throwing for 1,814 yards and eight touchdowns. He completed less than 50% of his passes but rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns. In PFSN’s QB+ metric, Richardson ranked 37th, third-lowest among all eligible quarterbacks.
Because of his inconsistency, the front office decided to bring in some insurance with Daniel Jones.
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Colts this offseason. Last year wasn’t great for Jones either. Returning from injury, he started 10 games for the Giants, throwing for 2,070 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 265 rushing yards and two scores. He ranked 32nd in PFSN’s QB+ metric.
After struggling, Jones was benched for Tommy DeVito, then requested his release. He later joined the Vikings’ practice squad but never saw the field behind Sam Darnold.
Riley Leonard
After committing to Duke, Leonard played sparingly as a freshman before stepping into the starting role in 2022 under head coach Mike Elko. Leonard helped turn Duke from a 3-9 team into a 9-4 squad, throwing for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions with a 63.8% completion rate. He also rushed for 699 yards and 13 scores.
Injuries slowed Leonard’s 2023 season, dropping his production, but he still showed off his dual-threat ability.
After Elko’s departure to Texas A&M, Leonard transferred to Notre Dame, where he had a strong 2024 season: a career-high 21 passing touchdowns, 2,861 passing yards, an improved 66.7% completion rate, and 906 rushing yards with 17 rushing touchdowns.
Jason Bean
Bean signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in May 2024, but they waived him during roster cuts in August. He later rejoined the team on the practice squad and signed a reserve/future contract in January 2025.
While technically a second-year player, Bean has yet to appear in a game for Indianapolis. Right now, he looks like the least likely option to start.
