The Indianapolis Colts drafted Riley Leonard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft. The former Notre Dame star is expected to be a backup quarterback, but you never know—he could eventually become Indy’s QB1.
Indianapolis had an outstanding 2025 draft. In addition to Leonard, they selected Tyler Warren, J.T. Tuimoloau, Justin Walley, Jalen Travis, DJ Giddens, Tim Smith, and Hunter Wohler.
Warren is the biggest prize of the Colts’ draft class. He could certainly emerge as a superstar. Plus, Tuimoloau could team with Laiatu Latu to form a dynamic edge-rusher duo. But don’t sleep on Riley Leonard, who might surprise a lot of people and later become the Colts’ starting quarterback.
Colts Rookie Riley Leonard Could Eventually Become a Starter
Leonard’s Career
Riley Leonard starred at Fairhope High School in Fairhope, Alabama. During his senior year, he threw for 1,900 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 500 yards. Leonard received college offers from schools like Nebraska, Syracuse, and Tulane. However, he committed to Duke University.
During Leonard’s three years at Duke, he passed for 4,450 yards and 24 touchdowns while adding 1,224 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground. He later transferred to Notre Dame, where he spent his final year of college football. Last season, Leonard threw for 2,861 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while completing 66.7 percent of his passes. He also rushed for a ridiculous 906 yards and 17 scores. Leonard led Notre Dame to 14 wins this past year. He also took them to the National Championship Game, where they lost to Ohio State.
Colts’ Quarterback Room
Leonard isn’t the only Colts quarterback who played at Duke. Fellow newcomer Daniel Jones is also a former Blue Devil. Jones, who began his career with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings, signed with the Colts this offseason. He will compete with Anthony Richardson for the starting job.
It will be an interesting competition between two former signal-callers who were drafted in the top 10. Whoever loses will serve as the primary backup.
Meanwhile, Leonard will battle Jason Bean for the Colts’ No. 3 quarterback spot. The winner will replace Sam Ehlinger, who’s now with the Denver Broncos. The loser will likely head to the practice squad.
Could He Become QB1?
With Richardson and Jones on the roster, Leonard likely won’t see the field in 2025. Ehlinger didn’t see any action last season, as he watched Richardson and Joe Flacco play. However, Richardson and Jones have had their share of injuries. Plus, both players were benched last season.
It’s possible that Richardson and Jones could both get hurt or have subpar seasons. If that’s the case, Leonard will become the starter at some point in 2025. And if he plays well enough, he could remain the starter for years to come.
Leonard is known as a leader and plays with an edge and toughness that you have to appreciate. His athleticism makes him an exciting dual-threat quarterback. Leonard’s a good passer from the pocket and is effective in the short and intermediates areas of the field. He can also throw deep passes with solid touch. While Leonard might not be the next Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck, he might become Indy’s next franchise QB.
Main Image: Kelly Wilkinson – USA Today Sports
The post Colts Rookie Could Eventually Become a Starter appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.