When the Indianapolis Colts kicked off the offseason
selecting Riley Leonard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, it wasn’t just for show.
With Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones pegged as the top quarterbacks on the depth chart, many assume that Leonard will be more of a developmental project, rather than a potential starter next season.
But Leonard, a proven winner after guiding Notre Dame to a national championship appearance in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff, isn’t writing himself off as the Colts’ QB1 of the future.
His college coach Marcus Freeman expressed confidence in his former Fighting Irish signal-caller on Wednesday.
“A lot of the talk is, he’s an ascending player,” Marcus Freeman said, per Dan Morrison of On3 Sports. “He’ll be a guy that isn’t near his ceiling. He can continue to improve, which is intriguing for the NFL.”
Leonard transferred to Notre Dame after three seasons at Duke. Last season, he completed a career-best 269 passes for 2,861 yards and 21 touchdowns, while rushing 184 times for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns.
He’s carrying dependable experience after storming through Indiana, Georgia and Penn State before falling to Ohio State in the CFP title, Leonard has a chip on his shoulder, and judging by his former coach’s sentiment, he looks to work it to his advantage as he prepares for his first pro year.
With fellow rookie tight end Tyler Warren set to be a mainstay in Indianapolis’ offense, as well as running back DJ Giddens in a co-backfield role behind Jonathan Taylor, this offseason would be the perfect time for Leonard to establish a rhythm with the talented young stars.
While it may not be an instant QB battle in training camp with veterans Richardson and Jones, which is typically the case with most incoming rookies, Leonard’s growth from OTAs, training camp and the preseason is going to be closely monitored by the Colts’ staff.
Entering the NFL with similar traits to Richardson and Jones, there’s no shortage of excitement for the valuable late-round pick.
Leonard is coming in fresh, and without the instant pressure. Richardson has struggled over his first two seasons with the Colts, and Jones experiencing much of the same with the New York Giants and a half a year with the Minnesota Vikings.
So, the former first-round picks have much to prove in order to remain ahead of the rookie in the pecking order. The Colts will get their first look at Leonard when rookie minicamp officially begins on May 9.
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