Former Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard brings a tantalizing mix of athleticism and arm talent. While he may not have been widely mocked to be a Day 2 pick, many rated him higher than the likes of Dillon Gabriel, who was picked on Day 2 while Leonard fell to Day 3. What could be the reasons behind the QB’s drop?
Exploring Reasons Behind Riley Leonard’s Fall To Day 3 of 2025 NFL Draft
Leonard played just one season at Notre Dame after transferring from Duke, but he made the most of it. The Alabama native threw for 2,861 yards, completed nearly 67% of his passes, and tossed a career high 21 touchdowns in 2024— all while showcasing the traits that made scouts take notice.
“He’s a tall, athletic quarterback with a strong arm and the flash plays that make you excited about his prospects at the next level,” wrote PFSN’s Jacob Infante. “His creativity makes him a valuable asset with his legs, and he’s made some pretty throws over his three years as a collegiate starter.”
Leonard dominated on the ground with 906 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, and many termed him the best rushing QB prospect of all time. So, how could such a valuable asset fall to Day 3, especially when this class is already short on QB talent?
The answer lies in his inconsistency as a processor and inability to read plays, which requires significant improvement before he starts games in the NFL.
“Due to his inconsistency as a processor and in terms of his accuracy, Leonard occasionally put Notre Dame in difficult situations. His sense of pressure needs quite a bit of work, and his mechanics could use some fine-tuning before he hits the NFL level,” Infante noted.
Leonard also struggled under pressure with his mechanics becoming sloppy and received the 38th-best grade from Pro Football Focus.
“Leonard’s lower half doesn’t stay consistent enough for him to throw accurately, leading to a 35.1% uncatchable rate when under pressure this past season,” PFF wrote.
The Notre Dame QB also struggles due to a panicky mentality and a tendency to see his mechanics fall apart under duress, which is one of the reasons he fell to Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
However, he can be a toolsy backup and should find plenty of suitors on Day 3 of the draft. Some of the teams that could potentially be interested in Leonard include the Detroit Lions, the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers, all of whom need are in need of a solid backup option like Leoanrd.
He beat Clemson when at Duke. I think it was the lack of good coaching at ND the caused the regression.
There is literally nothing shocking about Leonard not being picked yet. It wouldn’t be shocking if he didn’t get drafted at all. I love the kid but he can’t throw the ball.