GALLOPER
In the 6th round with the 189th overall pick in the NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Notre Dame quarterback, Riley Leonard.
GALLOPER ☘️ https://t.co/IQeDqY8Jt8
— One Foot Down (@OneFootDown) April 26, 2025
From the ND press release:
Riley Leonard Selected 189th Overall In NFL Draft By Indianapolis
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Quarterback Riley Leonard was selected in the sixth round with the 189th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. Leonard is the ninth Notre Dame player all-time to be drafted to Indianapolis and the first since 2018 (G Quenton Nelson). He joins former Irish Nelson and K Spencer Shrader on the Colts roster.
Leonard adds to an illustrious list of Notre Dame quarterbacks to make the jump to the NFL. The team captain led the Irish to a CFP National Title game appearance, being named the Offensive MVP of the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl along the way. He was a semifinalist for the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year award.
Leonard spent one season with the Irish and was named a team captain, starting all 16 games and completing 269 passes for 2,861 yards and 21 touchdowns, in addition to 184 rushing attempts for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns. Leonard finished responsible for 230 points in 2024, ranking second on the all-time Notre Dame single season list (behind Brady Quinn, 234 in 2006). The captain’s 230 points ranked seventh among all FBS players in 2024.
At the end of the 2024 season, Leonard ranked second among all active FBS quarterbacks in career rushing touchdowns with 36. His 17 rushing touchdowns in 2024 broke the Notre Dame single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (14, Brandon Wimbush in 2017). Leonard’s 17 rushing touchdowns this season ranked 12th in the nation among all FBS players and tied for fifth among all quarterbacks.
Leonard was one of two FBS quarterbacks (and two Power 4 quarterbacks) this season to pass for 2,600 yards and rush for 900 yards. Leonard posted 56.6 rushing yards per game this season, ranking fourth among all Power 4 quarterbacks.
In 11-straight games this season (beginning with Purdue and through Indiana), Leonard rushed for at least 25 yards while also accounting for multiple TDs (passing or scoring). Only two FBS quarterbacks have compiled longer such streaks this century: Louisville’s (and current Baltimore Raven) Lamar Jackson (13 straight in 2017) and Oklahoma’s (and current Philadelphia Eagle) Jalen Hurts (12 straight in 2019).
Leonard’s 906 rushing yards this season surpassed Tony Rice’s school-record for a single-season quarterback rushing yards of 884 from 1989.