Riley Leonard shines light on underrated lessons from Peyton, Eli Manning at passing academy

Just a week removed from competing for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, Riley Leonard is in Mobile, Ala. looking to turn heads among NFL personnel in town during Senior Bowl week.

But as the Notre Dame quarterback turns his attention to preparing for the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, Leonard hasn’t forgotten the lessons learned along the way. Especially those taught by legendary NFL quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning.

Leonard participated as a collegiate camp counselor during last June’s Manning Passing Academy from Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La., where he was roommates with Ohio State‘s Will Howard, Clemson‘s Cade Klubnik and Wisconsin‘s Tyler Van Dyke. Leonard also won the event’s “Air It Out” challenge among his fellow college QBs, showing off his strong throwing arm.

.@NDFootball QB @rileyleonard13_ talks his biggest takeaways from Eli and Peyton Manning during his time at the Manning Passing Academy last summer.

📺: Reese's Senior Bowl — Saturday, 2:30pm ET on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/BZWK32PuUX

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) January 28, 2025

“The biggest takeaway that I took was how intentional Peyton and Eli, who are all-time quarterbacks, took every single kid at that camp,” Leonard told the NFL Network following Tuesday’s Senior Bowl practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. “For those that don’t know, about 2,000 kids go to Thibodaux, Louisiana in the middle of the summer, the hottest weekend of the year, by far. And Peyton and Eli spend time with every single kid at that camp. And they know every single waterboy, watergirl’s name, these little details, because they care so much about people.

“It kind of reminds me of the bible verse I wear on my wrist, Matthew 23:12, ‘Those who exalt themselves to be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ I tried to show it off in the natty, but it was a little blurry, so for anybody wondering, that’s what I was showing off. But yeah, I think they taught me a lot of life lessons and the things that I care most about, they definitely fulfill. They’re great role models to me.”

Dillon Gabriel shares insight into conversations with NFL teams ahead of Senior Bowl

The Senior Bowl doesn’t just give NFL Draft prospects an opportunity to showcase their talents in front of scouts and executives. It also gives teams a chance to talk with prospects about football, life and more. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel is at the Senior Bowl this week and has spoken with teams who might be interested in drafting him.

Dillon Gabriel joined the NFL Network during Tuesday’s Senior Bowl practice and offered some insight into what his conversations with teams have been like.

“Yea, it’s been really great,” Dillon Gabriel said. “Great conversations and something I’m extremely confident in and comfortable within, whether it’s talking ball, getting on the whiteboard, talking certain plays or just asking questions about who I am.

“You know, I’m confident in that, know what I represent, and every single day, with the lights on or off, I’m the same person. So ain’t gotta be someone I’m not.”

Matt Connolly contributed to this report.