He was wobbly. Everyone saw it.
When Riley Leonard hit the turf during the Orange Bowl against Penn State in early 2025, South Bend collectively held its breath. It looked like the dream was dead. The hit was massive—the kind of collision that makes you look for a backup quarterback before the player even stops sliding. But that is the Riley Leonard story in a nutshell: he doesn’t just fall; he gets back up and somehow makes it look like it was part of the plan.
Honestly, the Riley Leonard Notre Dame experience was a total fever dream from start to finish. We are talking about a guy who arrived with "transfer portal savior" expectations, suffered a posterior labrum injury in a humiliating loss to Northern Illinois, and then somehow steered the bus all the way to a National Championship appearance. It’s a script even the writers of Rudy would find a bit too on the nose.
Why the Duke Transfer Actually Happened
Most people think it was just about the NIL money. Sure, reports from insiders like Pete Nakos suggested a deal in the ballpark of $1.5 million, but Leonard has been pretty vocal that the cash wasn’t the driver. He wanted a ring. Specifically, he wanted to play for Marcus Freeman.
There is this family connection that gets glossed over way too often. His great-grandfather, James E. Curran, played for the Irish back in the late 1930s. Leonard didn’t just pick a school; he picked a legacy. He only took one official visit after leaving Duke. Just one. That tells you everything you need to know about where his head was at.
Then there was Mike Denbrock. Landing the offensive coordinator who turned Jayden Daniels into a Heisman winner and a top NFL pick was the real "closer" for Leonard. He wanted that development. He wanted to prove he wasn't just a "scrappy" runner but a legitimate pro prospect who could process a complex field.
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The Northern Illinois Disaster and the Police Car Ride
You remember where you were when Northern Illinois walked into South Bend and beat the #5 team in the country. It was ugly. Leonard looked lost. He threw two interceptions and struggled to move the ball through the air, finishing with just 163 passing yards.
The most human moment of his entire career happened right after that game. He was so embarrassed by his performance that he couldn't bring himself to walk through the crowds. He actually asked a police officer for a ride home to avoid being seen. Think about that for a second. The starting quarterback at Notre Dame, a guy with a million-dollar valuation, sitting in the back of a squad car because he’s too ashamed to face the fans.
Coach Freeman's reaction the next day was even weirder. He laughed. Not at Riley, but at the situation. He told Leonard, "One day you’re gonna be thankful for this." At the time, it sounded like coach-speak. By the time they were beating Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals, it sounded like a prophecy.
Breaking Down the Stats: More Than a Runner?
If you look at the raw numbers from the 2024-25 season, the "dual-threat" label is almost an understatement. Leonard didn't just run; he was the engine of the entire offense.
- Passing Yards: 2,861
- Passing TDs: 21
- Rushing Yards: 906
- Rushing TDs: 17 (Tied the school record for a QB)
- Completion Percentage: 66.7%
He became only the third quarterback in Notre Dame history to hit double-digit rushing touchdowns in a single season. The other two? Brandon Wimbush and DeShone Kizer. But neither of them had the poise Leonard showed in late-game situations during the playoff run.
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The throwing mechanics are where the scouts get twitchy. He has this three-quarters release that can dip even lower when he’s under pressure. It causes the ball to "spray" sometimes. One pass is a literal laser to Jaden Greathouse, and the next is in the dirt three yards short of a screen pass. It’s maddening. But then he’ll break a 50-yard run against Miami (OH) and you forget all about the footwork.
That Orange Bowl Scare
The Penn State game was the peak of the Riley Leonard drama. Late in the second quarter, trailing 10-0, he took a hit from Zane Durant and Dvon J-Thomas. He was wobbly. The refs actually stepped in and forced him off the field.
While Steve Angeli stepped in to manage a crucial field goal drive, Leonard was in the medical tent undergoing concussion protocols. He was cleared. He came back out for the second half and looked like a completely different human being. He went 9-of-12 for 160 yards after halftime. He didn't just play; he conquered.
That 27-24 win wasn't just a victory. It was a statement. It proved that the "toughness" his teammates always raved about wasn't just locker room talk. It was real.
The NFL Reality Check
Here is the part where the hype meets the cold, hard truth of the draft. Despite the National Championship run, NFL scouts aren't universally sold. WalterFootball and other scouting outlets have compared him to Jeff Driskel. That’s not exactly a "franchise savior" comparison.
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The concerns are legitimate:
- Inconsistent Ball Placement: He misses too many "gimme" throws.
- Lower-Half Mechanics: His feet get heavy in the pocket, which kills his timing.
- Injury History: Between the ankle and toe issues at Duke and the labrum and concussion scares at Notre Dame, there are "durability" red flags all over his file.
He’s likely a middle-to-late round pick—some projections have him as late as the 6th round. But in a league that is increasingly obsessed with mobile quarterbacks who can execute RPOs, someone is going to take a chance on his 6'4", 216-pound frame.
What This Means for You
If you're a fan or just following the trajectory of college football, Riley Leonard’s year at Notre Dame is a masterclass in the "One-Year Rental" era. It shows that the transfer portal isn't just about moving players around; it’s about finding the specific puzzle piece that fits a program's culture.
How to view Leonard’s legacy:
- Don't ignore the rushing stats: He is one of the most productive runners to ever play the position in South Bend.
- Watch the leadership: Notice how his teammates reacted when he came back from the medical tent. That’s unteachable.
- Manage expectations: He is a phenomenal college player who may struggle to adapt to the speed of NFL passing windows.
The Riley Leonard Notre Dame story ended with a loss to Ohio State in the title game, but the 11-1 regular season and the playoff run changed the narrative around Marcus Freeman's program. It proved Notre Dame could attract—and win with—the biggest names in the portal.
If you want to understand the future of the Irish, keep an eye on how they recruit the portal next. They’ve set a template now. It involves high-character guys with mobility who aren't afraid to take a ride in a police car when things go south.
Check out the official Notre Dame athletics page or the latest NFL Combine drills to see how Leonard’s measurables stack up against the incoming class of rookie signal-callers.