The Indianapolis Colts selected Riley Leonard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Drafted that low, no one expects him to be a starter as a rookie. But stranger things have happened.
Perhaps Tyler Warren is the biggest prize of the Colts’ 2025 draft class. The former Penn State star was drafted 14th overall this year. Warren could immediately be a star and emerge as Indy’s best tight end since Dallas Clark.
Fellow rookies like J.T. Tuimoloau and DJ Giddens could also become impact players. But don’t sleep on Riley Leonard, who could become QB1 at some point this year.
Don’t Rule Out Colts Rookie Riley Leonard Becoming a Starter in 2025
Looking Back at His Career
Riley Leonard starred at Fairhope High School in Fairhope, Alabama. During his senior year, he threw for 1,900 yards and 25 touchdowns and 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.
Could He Become QB1?
Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones are competing for the Colts’ starting quarterback job. Without a doubt, it’s the team’s most important training camp battle. It’ll be interesting to see which former top-10 pick will win.
Whoever wins, of course, will be the starter. The loser will serve as the primary backup. Meanwhile, Riley Leonard is the No. 3 quarterback, replacing Sam Ehlinger.
With Richardson and Jones in the mix, Leonard might not see the field at all this season. Ehlinger never saw any action last 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 (knock on wood) or have subpar seasons. If that happens, Leonard will become the starter.
Leonard played in the recent preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. He completed just 12 of his 24 pass attempts for 92 yards. Leonard also threw an interception. With that said, he didn’t have the most accurate outing of his career.
Yet, Leonard did what he does best, which is to move the ball with his legs. He rushed for 34 yards on four carries. Plus, he threw an impressive 24-yard pass to Laquon Treadwell.
Richardson still seems to be the favorite to start for the Colts in Week 1 of the regular season. But he has struggled to stay healthy. He was bitten by the injury bug once again this year, suffering a dislocated finger against the Ravens. That means there could be plenty of open doors throughout the season for Leonard to become the Colts’ starter.
Main Photo: [Rafael Suanes] – USA Today Sports
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