When ESPN NFL draft expert Jordan Reid released his 2025 first-round mock draft, it listed Notre Dame cornerback [autotag]Benjamin Morrison[/autotag] at 13th. That’s not a surprise given the big plays Morrison is known for. Missing from that mock draft was new Irish quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag].
However, all may not be lost as far as Leonard being an early-round pick. In an appearance on “SportsCenter”, Reid indicated that Leonard will be someone to watch this year as far as increasing his draft stock to the point where he will become difficult for NFL teams to ignore:
From @SportsCenter: One QB to keep an eye on that could make 'the leap' this year is Riley Leonard of Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/43ntAFNB8F
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) June 10, 2024
This obviously would be a good thing for the Irish as it should indicate a successful season barring the complete collapse of another unit. All we know at this point is expectations are high with Leonard under center.
In a decade where the Irish have relied heavily on transfer quarterbacks like [autotag]Jack Coan[/autotag] and [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag], Leonard might have the most pressure. Here’s to seeing how he handles it.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89