Notre Dame football QB Riley Leonard a dark horse for top draft spot

While the 2024 Notre Dame football hasn’t even kicked off its season yet, it’s not too early to talk about what happens after the season. Specifically, where guys like Riley Leonard might be drafted. Especially if he has the kind of season he’s expected to have.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid recently put together his odds for how likely he thinks certain people are to be the number one pick in the next draft. 247Sports’ Drew Mentock shed some light on those picks.

So should Notre Dame football fans expect Riley Leonard to be the first pick in the 2025 draft? It’s not entirely out of the question.

Notre Dame football quarterback has odds laid out to be top NFL Draft pick

While Leonard is given some chance of being the first pick, it’s not a huge surprise that the odds aren’t good.

Reid gives him a 2 percent chance of becoming the top selection next spring, which ties him for the same odds with Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson and Colorado cornerback and wideout Travis Hunter.

Leonard's odds place him in the long shots/"out-of-nowhere" quarterback category.

"Seemingly every season, a quarterback exceeds expectations and takes the college football world by storm to rise up the draft board and challenge for the top pick," Reid wrote. "Most recently, Anthony Richardson (2023) and Jayden Daniels (2024) fit the bill; both were viewed as Day 3 prospects but developed into top-five picks. Who could be next?"

While Leonard isn’t expected to rise that fast in the draft rankings, there are plenty of people who believe the quarterback will be key to the Irish having a successful 2024. 

It’s a safe bet that if Leonard somehow becomes the number one pick in the draft, he had a hell of a 2024. Notre Dame football fans will certainly take that.