When it comes to Notre Dame football players who raised their draft stock the most during the Senior Bowl, it seems the runaway leader was Riley Leonard.
Leonard, in fact, had a very good week at Senior Bowl prep and then his performance in the game showed scouts that he’s not just someone who can bowl people over. More and more scouts saw a quarterback who could do things in a passing offense he wasn’t really asked to do in South Bend.
Leonard was one of a few Notre Dame football players who appeared in the Senior Bowl on Saturday, but his performance stood out despite the fact that he was playing alongside some other quarterbacks that came into the game with quite a bit more hype.
Leonard with a nice throw to TeSlaa to pick up the first down on 3rd and 12.@NDFootball @RazorbackFB
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Riley Leonard showed he can be a winner away from Notre Dame football
Riley Leonard started for the American team and played two drives. He finished 6-of-7 for 54 yards, along with a scramble for a 2-yard gain and a sack for a loss of 8.
The former Notre Dame football star’s single misfire looked like a miscommunication on a deep throw to eventual Senior Bowl hero wide receiver Jack Bech. The ex-Irish QB threw the ball to Bech’s outside shoulder, but the receiver turned inside and couldn’t adjust until it was too late.
While Riley Leonard’s two drives didn’t produce points, he really couldn’t be blamed. One drive ended with a wide receiver fumble (that was questionable) and a drive that had a run stopped for a loss and then a false start.
After the game, the quarterback was happy enough with his performance.
“I think I can prove myself in the pocket a little bit,” Leonard said. “I sat in there well today and delivered some good balls.”
On the day, he made several tough throws that did indeed seem to show that he can look very good in the pocket. That included one throw where he had to change up his arm angle to make it. A nice slant on 3rd and 12.
The Senior Bowl isn’t an end-all and be-all but it’s a good first step as Riley Leonard proves he can have success in the NFL. The former Notre Dame football star now needs to keep proving what he can do, and then hope someone is willing to take a chance.