Newsstand: Where Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard ranks among other NFL Draft hopeful quarterbacks
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero put out a piece this week ranking all of the NFL Draft hopeful quarterbacks according to conversations he’s had with league executives, scouts and coaches. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Leonard came in at No. 10 out of 18.
Here’s Pelissero’s entire list and some of the reasoning behind Leonard’s mid-pack ranking.
1. Cam Ward, Miami
2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
3. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
4. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
5. Tyler Shough, Louisville
6. Quinn Ewers, Texas
7. Will Howard, Ohio State
8. Kyle McCord, Syracuse
9. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
10. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
“He’s the Day 3 developmental guy that you want to get,” an AFC coordinator said, per Pelissero. “He’s very raw. Coming from a place like Duke and Notre Dame, you’d think he’d be more polished. He’s like a big athlete that is still physically developing, and this is the first time he’s ever played in an offense where there was reads and progressions. He’s a smart kid. He’s got a chance to really, truly develop.”
11. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
12. Max Brosmer, Minnesota
13. Cam Miller, North Dakota State
14. Graham Mertz, Florida
15. Tommy Mellott, Montana State
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16. Seth Henigan, Memphis
17. Brady Cook, Missouri
18. Donovan Smith, Houston
Notre Dame tweets of the day
Sam Hartman: playoff hockey guy and noted beer chugger.
Mitchell Evans is hoping to hear his named called in the draft this week.
Marcus Freeman concluded the 2025 spring season with a press conference Wednesday.
Fighting Irish quote of the day
“That’s something we’ve discussed. We’ll look at the total number of arms, bodies that we have to practice, but it’s definitely under consideration to be able to move Tyler back into the quarterback room as we look into the summer and fall camp.”
— Marcus Freeman on moving Tyler Buchner back to the Notre Dame quarterback room
Blue & Gold headlines of the day
• Elite 2027 EDGE David Jacobs on Notre Dame: ‘It’s a place everyone has to see’
• Marcus Freeman reveals how Notre Dame will manage roster with possible 105 scholarship limit
• Why Marcus Freeman likes what Notre Dame has in ‘high-ceiling’ 2025 offensive line
• Marcus Freeman: Notre Dame will hold ‘true competition’ between Kenny Minchey, CJ Carr
• Lucky Charms: Notre Dame’s pursuit of SEC flip hits a roadblock
• Now healthy, Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore could create lethal Notre Dame pass rush
