The Indianapolis Colts selected Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard with the No. 189 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
After three seasons at Duke, Leonard transferred to Notre Dame and had a year to remember in his lone season with the Fighting Irish. The 6-foot-4, 216-pound quarterback posted career highs in completion percentage (66.7 percent) and touchdown passes (21).
Leonard also rushed for 906 yards and set the rushing touchdowns record for the Fighting Irish with 17 touchdowns in 16 games. Notre Dame finished with a 14-2 record and made it to the national championship game for the first time since 2012. Despite Leonard’s rushing ability, he struggled to move the ball through the air. He ranked 89th in the FBS with 178.8 passing yards per game and threw eight interceptions.
Colts’ sixth-round pick compared to two former top 10 picks
Following the Colts’ selection, one NFL Draft analyst touted Leonard as a combination of two former first-round picks.
“I cannot stress this enough: Riley Leonard, in terms of play style and traits, is like if you fused Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones,” ESPN’s Benjamin Solak posted on social media.
That’s saying a lot, and yet, at the same time, not saying much at all. Anthony Richardson and Daniels Jones have both proven to be capable of creating electric plays on the ground, but neither has been able to establish themselves as a capable passer.
Richardson, who was selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, led the Colts to an 8-7 record over 15 games in his two years in the league. He has just 2,391 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his career. Jones, a former first-round pick, led the New York Giants to a 3-13 record in just 16 games over the past two seasons. He recorded 2,979 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during that span.
Richardson has recorded 635 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in two seasons while Jones has recorded 2,179 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in six seasons. Yet, neither has been able to inspire lasting confidence among their respective coaches and fan bases. Jones was benched and subsequently released by the Giants near the end of the 2024 season, while Richardson has been injured and benched on multiple occasions during a tumultuous two seasons in Indianapolis.
At the professional level, the lack of passing ability will overshadow any rushing acumen or athleticism a quarterback possesses. If Leonard wants to have any chance of success, he’ll have to prove he can deliver the ball to the Colts’ playmakers from the pocket.