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Quarterback Riley Leonard took part in Notre Dame's Pro Day on Thursday. He had an average NFL Scouting Combine performance in Indianapolis, earning a prospect grade of 5.93. However, the quarterback did make an impression with his Pro Day passing drills.
Notre Dame's official Instagram posted a clip of Riley Leonard's Pro Day performance. In the video, he showed off his arm strength and accuracy, lobbing a deep ball down the field to the receiver. He then threw another short ball down the field, completing both the passes he attempted in the clip.
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Fans took to the comments section to praise Riley Leonard's throwing arm and set expectations for his career in the NFL.
"Looks like Tom Brady on his Combines," one fan said.
"Most underrated Notredame quarterback in recent history," another fan commented.
"Notre Dame nation is all behind you Riley You rocked it out there today," this fan said.
"Be great Riley," another fan wrote.
More fans hyped up Riley Leonard, with one fan thinking he could succeed at the next level.
"Riley is a Beast!! ND Football will miss his presence this season. GO IRISH!!" this fan commented.
"I would absolutely draft Riley. I'd put with a great QB and head coach he has what it takes to be great," another fan said.
Riley Leonard prioritized making long passes down the field during his Pro Day workouts. He connected with wide receivers Jayden Harrison and Kris Mitchell on multiple passes. The quarterback explained he just wanted to show off his arm talent and establish himself as an NFL-grade signal caller.
"I wanted to let it fly. If I was going to miss, I was going to miss long," Leonard said. "That's what I did. These guys made me look good. A couple times I thought I overthew them, and they just got under the ball. It's good working with fast receivers."
Apart from passing drills, there was a lot of hype surrounding Riley Leonard's 40 time after he decided not to run at the Combine. However, the quarterback once again decided to forego the 40-yard dash during Notre Dame's Pro Day.
Marcus Freeman on Notre Dame's starting quarterback situation in the post-Riley Leonard era
Riley Leonard joined the Fighting Irish after three seasons with the Duke Blue Devils. In his only campaign in South Bend last year, he led Marcus Freeman's team to the national championship game after victories over teams like Penn State and Georgia. Unfortunately, Notre Dame lost to Ohio State, crushing their dreams of lifting a natty.
Three prospects are fighting for the QB1 position on the team after Leonard's departure: Kenny Michey, CJ Carr, and Steve Angeli. Marcus Freeman will make his decision based on their offseason assessment. However, after the first day of spring practice, he gave an update on the situation.
"They're going to split reps and each day is going to be different but it's important for us to communicate with them beforehand," Freeman said.
"No matter if they like what group they're going with or not, and it shouldn't matter, but we need to be upfront and honest with them and give them feedback after each practice. We'll name a starter when a starter clearly shows he's the best quarterback."
The last time Notre Dame won a national championship was back in 1988. It will be interesting to see if Marcus Freeman can seek redemption this upcoming season after being so close to the finish line during their 2024 campaign.
Notre Dame Fans? Check out the latest Notre Dame depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.
