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Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard Predicted to Be 'Ideal' Backup for $100 Million NFL Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonathan Adams | Last updated Jan 20, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard's NFL draft stock has gone through quite a transformation. During his tenure with the Duke Blue Devils, Leonard was briefly mentioned as a potential first-round pick.

Now, Leonard is widely projected to be a Day 3 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. The good news for Leonard is the quarterback can utilize events like the Senior Bowl to boost his stock during the pre-draft process.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback's strength is his legs, posting better rushing numbers than some running backs. Heading into the national title game, Leonard notched 167 carries for 866 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground this season.

College Football Network's Will Helms did a seven-round mock draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The analyst has the Bucs selecting Leonard in the seventh round as an "ideal" backup for Baker Mayfield.

Marcus Freeman on Riley Leonard, back in June: "I don't know what the NFL projects him as. ... When the game is on the line, I want to give the ball to him."

With the game on the line, Leonard got the Irish in field goal range with a tight-window throw to Jaden Greathouse. pic.twitter.com/M1XFr48esR
— Jack Soble (@jacksoble56) January 11, 2025

"Again, toughness," Helms wrote on Thursday. "Riley Leonard’s arm is below average for an NFL quarterback, but his football I.Q. and leadership should make him an ideal backup, especially to a similarly-built quarterback like Baker Mayfield.

"Kyle Trask is the backup and his contract expires in 2025. Tampa Bay might look a different direction there and without much proven depth at the position, Riley Leonard makes sense."

With Kyle Trask potentially moving on, Leonard would have an opportunity to sit behind Mayfield. The former No. 1 pick's three-year, $100 million contract is slated to run through the 2026 season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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