Riley Leonard: Indianapolis Colts Rookie Files

Leonard was born on September 13, 2022, in Mount Pleasant, S.C., to Chad and Heather Leonard. Leonard's family has a long history in sports, going back multiple generations.

Chad was a star on the basketball court, playing collegiately for The Citadel in the early 1990s. Riley's uncle, Michael Sabol, played college basketball at Georgetown and was teammates with Hall of Famers Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning.

Leonard also has a family member who played college football. His great-grandfather, James Curran, played football for Notre Dame from 1938-1940. Curran later became a lieutenant in the Air Force after his playing days were over. Leonard was given the middle name of James after his great-grandfather.

With a family heavily involved in athletics, it was no surprise to see Riley take up every sport he could. He began to play T-ball, pee-wee football, and basketball when he was four years old. Riley played each sport with his brothers, Cole and Devin, competing with them to see who could be the best.

The Leonards moved to Fairhope, AL when Riley was only in kindergarten. It was in Fairhope that Leonard began to shine as an athlete.

He played quarterback on the football field and guard on the basketball court, making plays and showing off his talents every game. Leonard also continued to play baseball until seventh grade. When he was not participating in a sport, Leonard spent time fishing and being outdoors as much as possible.

As Leonard approached high school, basketball and football became his focus. Basketball had always been his first love, and Leonard hoped to follow in his father's footsteps and play collegiately. The next four years would determine if he would have the chance to make that dream a reality.

But sometimes, as Leonard would soon find out, dreams have a way of changing for the better.

Basketball or Football?

Leonard enrolled at Fairhope High School and immediately found his way on varsity for basketball and football. While Leonard had played quarterback his entire life, Fairhope already had an established starter at the position. So Leonard switched to wide receiver to be on the field more while also serving as the backup quarterback.

Leonard began to shine in both sports as a sophomore. He wracked up 26 catches for 536 yards and six touchdowns on the football field and got his first start at quarterback. On the hardwood, Leonard averaged 17.9 points per game for Fairhope and was receiving serious interest from Division I programs.

By the time his junior year rolled around, all signs were pointing to Leonard playing college basketball. While he was still undecided, Leonard put up 20.9 points and 8.5 rebounds a game while leading Fairhope to a 23-5 record and a final four appearance during his All-State season.

However, football was not out of the picture, and Leonard was finally able to show off his talents as a quarterback. He finished with 1,231 passing yards, 499 rushing yards, and eight rushing touchdowns.

By the end of his junior year, Leonard had offers to play basketball at North Alabama, UAB, Samford, and Missouri State. In football, the only offers he had were from South Alabama and Southern Mississippi.

That is when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The pandemic forced the EYBL circuit, one of the largest and most competitive AAU leagues in the country, to be canceled. Because Leonard was unable to play basketball, his focus went into becoming a better quarterback.

Leonard continued to work with his private quarterback coach, David Morris, throughout the spring and summer. Morris and Leonard's high school coach, Tim Carter, saw the potential in the athletic quarterback and took matters into their own hands.

They sent Leonard's film to Duke's David Cutcliffe and asked the legendary head coach to take a look. Morris played under Cutcliffe at Ole Miss and was the backup to Eli Manning. Cutcliffe was very impressed when he turned on the tape.

“I saw basketball highlights actually even before I watched football,” Cutcliffe admitted. "David told me, he said, ‘Look at these basketball highlights, just to see first what kind of athlete we’re talking about.’ And I was blown away. I knew he didn’t have a lot of reps at quarterback at that point, but I fell in love with him.

“I told the staff, ‘I think this guy’s special.’"

Soon after watching the film, Cutcliffe extended an offer to Leonard before he even had a chance to see the quarterback in person. It meant a lot to Leonard to have a coach like Cutcliffe believe in him, and with heightened interest from college programs, Leonard's attention began to turn towards football.

Leonard had his best season as a senior, leading Fairhope to an 8-4 record and improving his completion percentage from 59.3 to 72.9. He tallied 1,870 passing yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 494 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on the way to All-State honors. Leonard also picked up offers from Nebraska, Syracuse, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt.

Leonard continued to excel on the basketball court as well, averaging 20.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He led Fairhope to a 27-2 record that season and was named 7A Player of the Year as a senior.

But, despite his success on the court, the offers from bigger schools never came. Leonard, a very religious person, knew what God was calling him to do.

A three-star recruit and the No.28 recruit in Alabama, Leonard committed to Cutcliffe and the Duke Blue Devils. Leonard made a deep connection with the staff, and it stuck with him how much Duke believed in him before anyone else. The choice was simple.

While his love for basketball remains to this day, football became Leonard's passion and would soon take him to heights he had never even thought possible.

Blue Devils Star to Fighting Irish Hero

Leonard arrived on Duke's campus in 2021, and it didn't take long for him to have an impact. Leonard saw action in seven games as a freshman at Duke, including one start. He finished with 381 yards, a touchdown, and an interception to go along with 173 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Cutcliffe and the Blue Devils parted ways after the 2021 season. But when Duke hired Mike Elko shortly after Cutcliffe's departure, he also saw the potential in Leonard.

Leonard became the starter as a sophomore and led the Blue Devils to their first winning season in four seasons. He racked up 2,967 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Leonard also added 699 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

Leonard's sophomore campaign brought a lot of hype around the young signal caller and expectations were high entering 2023. The junior was named a team captain and had the Blue Devils off to a 4-0 start when they faced off with Notre Dame.

In a hard-fought battle with the Fighting Irish, Duke came up just short. However, the bigger news was Leonard suffered a high-ankle sprain and had to be helped off the field. He would return to action three weeks later but reaggravated the injury.

Leonard decided to play through the pain and start the following week against Louisville. However, Leonard suffered a new injury to his toe that ultimately shut him down for the season. He finished with 1,102 passing yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions to go along with 352 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.

The conclusion of the 2023 season brought another coaching change to Duke, as Elko was heading back to Texas A&M. With another coaching change and still rehabbing his injury, Leonard was ready for a fresh start.

Leonard entered the transfer portal and became one of the most sought-after transfers almost immediately. Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia were among the numerous schools that reached out. Despite the attention, Leonard was only interested in one school, and it was the lone school he took a visit to: Notre Dame.

Leonard transferred to Notre Dame in the spring of 2024 and was named a team captain by his teammates. He fought back to be 100% healthy for the start of the season, showing tremendous grit throughout the process. The work led to a Week 1 victory as Leonard and Notre Dame took down Elko and Texas A&M 23-13 in College Station.

But after a stunning Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois, Leonard and the Fighting Irish were at a crossroads. They would have to be perfect the rest of the way if they stood a chance at making the College Football Playoff.

Leonard ripped off a fantastic season, throwing for 2,861 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also dominated on the ground to the tune of 906 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. The Fighting Irish stayed perfect the rest of the way and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Leonard did a masterful job going up against the best in college football. He won Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl offensive MVP awards while leading Notre Dame to the College Football National Championship game. The Fighting Irish came up just short of the title, falling to Ohio State 34-23, but Leonard delivered in his one season at Notre Dame.

After four seasons in college, Leonard had more than proved he was one of the best quarterbacks in the country. The NFL was calling, and Leonard decided to skip his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.

While some players decided to take some time off after deep runs into the College Football Playoff, Leonard participated in the Senior Bowl and turned heads in practice. He followed that up at the NFL Scouting Combine by impressing in team interviews with his football IQ.

Leonard wrapped up his pre-draft process with a stellar performance at his pro day. Leonard was accurate with the football and showed off his arm talent in front of numerous scouts and coaches.

One of those coaches was Colts' head coach Shane Steichen, who spent a considerable amount of time talking to Leonard at the event. Leonard has also spent a lot of time training with former Colts quarterback Philip Rivers, someone Steichen trusts and has a strong relationship with. At that point, the writing was on the wall for Leonard's next team.

When the draft finally arrived, Leonard had a feeling his name would be called on Day 3. The Colts made it happen, selecting Leonard with the 189th pick. While Leonard was ready to go anywhere, Indy was always his top choice.

"The whole draft process, every time (Indianapolis) comes on the screen, I'm crossing my fingers," Leonard said after the draft. "(It) came at the perfect time. Couldn't ask for much more. The only place I wanted to be was in Indianapolis, and to hear my name called, it didn't matter the round. I just wanted to be in the building with the guys."

How Leonard Helps the Colts

The Colts did a lot of homework on the quarterback class for the 2025 NFL Draft. With questions about whether Anthony Richardson can become a franchise quarterback, and Sam Ehlinger moving on to the Denver Broncos in free agency, selecting a player like Leonard did not come as a surprise.

Leonard is the type of quarterback that Steichen covets. He is a solid athlete at the position that can impact the game with his legs, as evidenced by his rushing totals at Notre Dame. Leonard will be a natural fit in the Colts offense with the ability to execute option plays and zone reads.

Leonard excels throwing in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field. He diagnoses plays quickly and gets the ball out to his receivers accurately. While he has some work to do regarding his deep-ball accuracy, Leonard has a solid floor as a passer and can consistently move the chains.

But what stands out about Leonard are his intangibles. He is an intelligent player with a high football IQ. Leonard has also been praised by coaches and teammates alike for his humble nature and authentic leadership. Players naturally gravitate to him in the locker room, and that is likely to continue in the NFL.

While Leonard will not compete for the starting quarterback job with Richardson and Daniel Jones, he is a perfect complement to the quarterback room. His playing style is very similar to that of Jones, as he can make plays in the short-to-intermediate areas and be a threat with his legs.

Leonard's impact will be felt the most this season in the quarterback room. His character and football IQ will be a major asset, pushing Richardson and Jones while helping the team prepare for Sundays. Leonard will continue to work on his game to be a legitimate option someday while contributing in meetings and on the practice field.

Leonard may not possess as much upside as other quarterbacks in this class, but he is a perfect fit for the Colts quarterback room and provides a solid floor for the QB3 role. It is not a stretch to say Leonard could be the long-term backup quarterback for the Colts.

From basketball star to leading one of the most storied programs in college football to a National Championship berth, Leonard has proven he can overcome any curveballs thrown his way. No matter where Leonard has been, one thing has always been a constant: Winning.

And that is exactly what he plans to do with the Colts.

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