In a consistent trend for QBs in the portal, Dan Kilbridge of Bookies.com has Notre Dame football as a top landing spot for NC State transfer Devin Leary.
The Notre Dame football program is listed at +400 odds or an implied probability of 20%, second in the race to Illinois at +250. Rounding out the top 5 for Leary’s services are Alabama, Missouri, and Georgia. While Alabama and Georgia have elite recruits waiting to get their chance as starting quarterbacks, Notre Dame, Missouri, and Illinois aren’t in that same boat. Though Notre Dame has some great recruits lined up, and a theoretical star in Tyler Buchner, things haven’t quite worked out for them at the position so far.
Devin Leary has put up some remarkable numbers in past seasons with the Wolfpack and would ideally elevate his play with elevated team play. In 2021, Leary put up incredible numbers with a 65.7% completion percentage with 3433 yards passing. He also tossed a whopping 35 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. His career numbers are nearly as impressive, with 6807 yards passing and 62 touchdowns to 16 interceptions.
With one year of eligibility left, Leary could be the perfect placeholder should Buchner not impress the staff following his return from injury. With Steve Angeli, Kenny Minchey, and CJ Carr all in the fold two years from now, Notre Dame doesn’t need a long-term solution. That said, they’ll look at all options on the table, even if it means competition for an extra year or two. I have seen rumors from top Notre Dame recruiting experts that Leary remains a long shot for the program. Still, they seem to be at least involved in the race.
The job should still be Buchner’s to lose, as he hasn’t had an opportunity to show what he can truly do at the college level. Given his limited playing time as a freshman and his injury this past season, he remains a wildcard at this level of football. He could come out next season and be the star quarterback we all thought he would be out of high school. If that doesn’t happen, the coaches must be prepared, and I think they’ll be ready this time.