Riley Leonard shares warm glimpses of formal date with longtime GF Molly Walding via latest IG post

As quarterback Riley Leonard winds down from a long season with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and gets ready for the 2025 NFL draft, he’s been spending time with his longtime girlfriend, Molly Walding.

In a post on Instagram on Sunday, Leonard shared several pictures with Walding, where the two dressed in formal clothing for an event at Auburn University. He had a three-piece suit on, and she wore an elegant yellow gown.

“Had time to support the lady this year,” Leonard wrote in the caption.

Walding also posted a carousel of pictures from the day on her Instagram, with the caption:

"I had my date = best formal ever!!!!💛"

Riley Leonard and Molly Walding have been together since middle school in Fairhope, Alabama, in the mid-2010s. They stayed close even as Leonard went on to play football at Duke (before transferring to Notre Dame) and Molly went to Auburn University.

According to People, Walding is a public relations student at Auburn and also works as a recruiter for the school. She has experience working with the Chi Omega Fraternity and did an internship with the City of Fairhope. She will graduate with a degree in public relations in May.

As per their social media activity, Leonard and Walding officially started dating in 2017, and as of December, they’ve been together for over seven years.

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Riley Leonard linked to New England Patriots

As Leonard enjoys his downtime before the draft process in April, he’s also been linked to several NFL teams, with the latest being the New England Patriots.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss suggests that New England might look to add a third quarterback to its roster, likely in the third to seventh rounds, which is where Riley Leonard is widely projected to be selected.

Leonard spent three years at Duke before transferring to Notre Dame for the 2024 season. At Duke, he threw for 4,450 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The two-way athlete also rushed for 1,224 yards on 229 carries and 19 scores.

After joining Notre Dame, Leonard won the 2025 Orange Bowl Offensive MVP, finishing his only season with the Fighting Irish with 2,861 passing yards and 21 TDs all the way to the national championship game. He also ran for 906 yards on 184 carries and 17 scores.