Notre Dame Football: The Irish have options at QB in the portal

Notre Dame football is going to use the transfer portal for a quarterback in 2024. Who will it be. Riley Leonard is a leading candidate.

The short answer to this question is Riley Leonard, but nothing is definite until it is official. Marcus Freeman has said they will hit the portal for a quarterback.

Over the last couple of years, Notre Dame has shown no problems going into the transfer portal and getting a quarterback. Jack Coan transferred to Notre Dame from Wisconsin in 2021. Coan led the Irish to an 11-1 record and a Fiesta Bowl appearance.

After not signing a transfer quarterback in 2022, the Irish returned to the portal to sign Sam Hartman from Wake Forest. With Hartman’s departure, the Irish will again look toward the portal to find a quarterback. Highly touted freshman CJ Carr comes in this summer, but head coach Marcus Freeman knows he can’t just hand the keys to the Irish over to a true freshman.

Several analysts have Leonard, who was at Duke this season, as the leader in the clubhouse to sign with the Irish. Both On3 and 247sports have Leonard going to Notre Dame football, as does David Cobb of CBS Sports.

He led the Blue Devils in an opening weekend win against Clemson. Duke finished 7-5, but that was primarily due to Leonard getting injured midway through the season.

Notre Dame football hasn’t won the Riley Leonard sweepstakes yet

There is the possibility that Leonard follows his former head coach, Mike Elko, to Texas A&M. If that happens, the board is wide open for Notre Dame football in the portal. In addition, it is possible the Irish could wait until after spring practice to see what happens in places like Texas and Georgia.

However, all signs point to Riley Leonard coming to South Bend to finish his college football career. Leonard, like Sam Hartman, would be one and done. He does not have the COVID year option and did not redshirt at Duke.