Riley Leonard is a surprising Heisman contender according to one outlet

Notre Dame football seems to be off and running towards the playoffs. And there is no player that is playing a bigger part in that run than Riley Leonard. The funny thing about that is just a few weeks ago, that would have surprised some of the more casual Fighting Irish fans.

Leonard got off to a bumpy start to the 2024 campaign. There were even some who wanted to see him benched in favor of Steve Angeli or Kenny Minchey. However, things are going rather well now. In fact, he’s playing so well now that at least one outlet thinks he’s a contender for the Heisman Trophy, even if he’s a darkhorse candidate.

While it was surprising to see Leonard on On3’s contender list, as he came in tied at No. 9, it is still an encouraging sign that he is moving in the right direction. Leonard is tied with Clemson Tigers starting QB Cade Klubnik at the bottom of the list, but considering where things started out, that’s quite an impressive move.

Notre Dame football has Heisman contender in Riley Leonard

On the season, Leonard is completing 66.2 percent of his attempts for 1,360 yards with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. While those numbers aren’t bad, his passing isn’t the reason he’s on a list for Heisman contenders. It’s the fact that he’s a dual-threat QB.

He’s been great running the ball as well, as Leonard has carried the ball 85 times for 539 yards with 11 touchdowns. With four weeks to go in the regular season and a schedule with just one team sporting a winning record, Riley Leonard’s performance for the Notre Dame football team could only get better. He might even be able to move up that list of Heisman contenders.