Riley Leonard, Duke University’s record-setting quarterback who was named first-team All-ACC. In the meantime, he has had a major, monumental effect on the college football landscape this season. Like Allen, Leonard stands at 6-foot-4, weighing 216 pounds. He took Notre Dame to a seventh College Football Playoff berth — a highly sought after achievement that speaks to his special play and elite leadership skills under center.
During his time at Duke, Leonard was a great positive influence. That accomplishment helped him complete one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in college football in 2022. Under his leadership, the Blue Devils finished with a stellar 9-4 mark. They punctuated that special season with a signature performance blowing out UCF in the Military Bowl. At the end of that season, he had eclipsed an unbelievable 33 total touchdowns. He threw for 20 of those touchdowns and rushed for 13, totaling 2,130 yards rushing. Over his career at Duke, Leonard tallied 36 rushing touchdowns and amassed 7,311 passing yards, completing 63.7% of his attempts.
Leonard endured woes of his own in 2023, suiting up for only seven games after multiple injuries derailed his season. Yet, he turned things around dramatically in his last year in college. In 2024, he set career highs, including 66.7% of his passes. He threw for 21 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 906 yards and scoring 17 rushing touchdowns in the process. This high-level play was a key element to Notre Dame’s season of success, including their appearance in the playoff.
During his time in college, Leonard was nothing short of constant and unyielding. He had a dazzling ratio of 45 touchdown passes to just 18 interceptions. This accomplishment is quite impressive given that he experienced the most difficult season of his career, tossing eight interceptions. He simply gets better the next year after he learns from those failures. This ability is what has come to define his journey through the world of college football.
Leonard is taking the leap from college to professional football. The level of statistics and accomplishments will likely make him one of the most-coveted prospects around. His fast-paced and exciting play style excites fans and frustrates defenses. Further complemented by an extraordinary talent for synthesizing teams under fire, he is on the verge of a great career to come.
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