Riley Leonard NFL Draft Projection: 5 best landing spots for Notre Dame QB

Riley Leonard is an interesting quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish star is projected to be a mid-round pick and could potentially develop into a starter one day. Here's where his overall outlook stands and where he could potentially land in the draft this year.

Riley Leonard draft profile

Riley Leonard (image credit: getty)

Riley Leonard spent three years with the Duke Blue Devils before transferring to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for his final college football season. The move significantly improved his draft stock after setting career-highs of 21 touchdown passes with a 66.7% completion rate.

He also showed off his dual-threat skillset by easily setting career-highs of 906 rushing yards and 17 TDs. His athleticism is a desirable trait for NFL teams seeking a QB, although his limited overall upside suggests that he will be more of a developmental project. Here are five teams that may target him in the mid-rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Riley Leonard 2025 NFL Draft projection: 5 best fits for Notre Dame QB

#5 - Miami Dolphins

Riley Leonard appears to fit best with an NFL team where he won't be expected to be an immediate starter, but can develop his skillset to potentially grow into a QB1 role. The Miami Dolphins can allow him to do that, while also potentially earning playing time as a back-up, with Tua Tagovailoa often getting injured.

#4 - Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to target a veteran QB this offseason such as Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers. This creates an opportunity where they could take Leonard in the later rounds of the draft to give him a chance at developing into their future solution for the position.

#3 - LA Rams

Matthew Stafford has been connected to trade rumors this offseason as the LA Rams could be headed toward a rebuilding phase. If he stays with the team, it will also need to come up with a long-term plan for the position. Leonard could be that after working with highly-respect offensive mind Sean McVay.

#2 - New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints seem destined for a rebuild of their roster, despite still having Derek Carr as their starting QB. Leonard could play behind Carr while he is still with the team, and if he fully develops into his potential, could eventually take over as the starter.

#1 - Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith has severely regressed since his excellent first season with the Seattle Seahawks. He is still expected to be their starter again in 2025 but he is unlikely to be their long-term plan at QB. This creates another favorable situation for Leonard as he would theoretically have time to work on his game before potentially receiving any playing time.