Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard Receives Huge Hype from Analyst

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard is expected to have a massive 2024 season.

Apr 20, 2024; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard watches during the second half of the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

When the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were able to land former Duke Blue Devils quarterback Riley Leonard in the transfer portal, their chances of competing for a national championship instantly improved.

Leonard, who has shown flashes of major star potential with Duke, is ready to play on a much bigger stage. Notre Dame is one of the most storied college football programs in the nation and are looking to work their way back to being a yearly championship contender.

After losing Sam Hartman to the 2024 NFL Draft, the Fighting Irish needed a new starting quaterback. Thankfully, Marcus Freeman and company were able to lure Leonard.

Heading into the 2024 season, the signal caller is facing a lot of pressure. He is expected to be the guy who makes Notre Dame a threat once again.

In a recent appearance on ESPN's show "Get Up," Heather Dinich did not hold back with her thoughts about the young quarterback.

"Notre Dame has the pieces in place if Riley Leonard can have the kind of success they need him to have to get to the College Football Playoff and host a first-round game. The defense is outstanding and Leonard adds a running dimension to the team … It will be big piece of the puzzle for them and their CFP hopes."

During the 2023 season at Duke, Leonard only played in seven games before suffering an injury. He ended up completing 57.6 percent of his pass attempts for 1,102 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also picked up 352 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Back in 2022, he offered a bigger sample size. He threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions, while also recording 699 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

Leonard will bring a valuable dual-threat ability to Notre Dame. They'll need him to improve his passing numbers, but they also surround him with better talent than he had with the Blue Devils.

Not only has Leonard received a lot of hype on the field, he has continued finding success off of it. He is becoming one of the most high-profile college football players in the NIL market.

Currently, On3 has Leonard ranked as the No. 29 overall NIL athlete and put him No. 18 among all college football players. He has been given an NIL valuation of $896,000.

All of that being said, the stage has been set for Leonard.

Notre Dame offers him the stage to show that he can be a Heisman Trophy candidate and a future NFL quarterback. It will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure and what kind of season he can put together.