Riley Leonard: NFL Draft Rumors: Rams linked to 38-TD dual-threat QB as Matthew Stafford's backup

NFL Draft Rumors: Rams linked to 38-TD dual-threat QB as Matthew Stafford's backup

Modified Apr 09, 2025 20:10 GMT

NFL: Combine - Source: Imagn — Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard - Source: Imagn

The Los Angeles Rams are making big moves ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is approaching the final stretch of his career, and the LA franchise will be looking to secure its long-term future in the quarterback department.

ESPN's latest mock draft by Ben Solak has the Rams linked to a quarterback who can pass and run: Riley Leonard. The 22-year-old recorded 38 total touchdowns, including 21 passing touchdowns and 17 rushing touchdowns, which shows why he's a dual-threat quarterback.

Leonard can create plays with his arm and legs, making him a solid backup and possible successor to Stafford. In the 2024 season, Leonard passed for 2,861 yards, threw 21 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. If the Rams decide to go for Leonard, he may become the next name to watch in their quarterback room.

Riley Leonard shares his pro day experience ahead of 2025 NFL draft

During his pro day on March 27, the Notre Dame quarterback spoke with NBC Sports about his performance and preparation for the NFL. He shared how he felt about his performance and looked back at how he grew as a player last season.

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The Alabama native explained how playing in Mike Denbrock’s offense helped him get ready for the NFL. When asked how he felt about his performance, the QB said,

“Man, it was a lot of fun. You know, honestly, I'm a guy, I'm not going to be satisfied, but it was a lot of fun. These guys made me look good out there. It was good to be able to, you know, let it fly around a little bit and try to showcase some things that I wasn't able to during the season.”

Leonard wants to reach his full potential and play his best, and that was his aim on pro day. He wasn’t focused on any specific targets but just getting the basics right and playing the game that he’s loved since he was five years old.

The Fighting Irish QB added that he tried not to put too much pressure on himself, after already playing in high-stress games like the national championship game.

Also read: Riley Leonard NFL draft Projection: 5 best landing spots for Notre Dame QB

About the author

Prasen is an NFL/College Sports analyst at Sportskeeda. A B.Tech/Civil Engineering graduate, he has two years of experience writing content.

For Prasen, providing historical angles relevant to the story is important, as it can give the reader useful information and help them relate it to the present. He thinks this keeps the content unique rather than just a bland reporting of facts. Prasen believes in fact-checking and researching relevant information as per the headline and context. He hates clickbait or misleading the reader.

A fan of the Colorado Buffaloes since Deion Sanders took over as coach, Prasen expects Coach Prime to make the Buffs a national championship contender. Nick Saban is his favorite all-time coach, while Baker Mayfield and Caitlin Clark are his favorite players. Prasen considers Vince Young coming up clutch for the Texas Longhorns in the dying seconds of the 2017 national championship game against the USC Trojans as the most iconic moment of all time.

Per Prasen, College Sports is competitive and garners attention but it is just the beginning, where a student-athlete can show their skills and potential to make it to the big leagues. When he is not researching and writing, Prasen’s hobbies include pursuing higher studies and playing sports.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.