NFL Draft Profile: Devin Leary, Quarterback, North Carolina State Wolfpack

NFL Draft profile scouting report for North Carolina State QB Devin Leary

#13
Pos: QB
Ht: 6010
Wt: 212
40: 4.81
DOB: 9/10/1999
Hometown: Sicklerville, NJ
High School: Timber Creek
Eligibility: 2023

Devin Leary
North Carolina State Wolfpack

---

One-Liners

The upside teams look for in a starting quarterback isn’t there with Leary but he is a clean prospect, who could be a high-end backup at the next level.

Evaluation:

When it comes to ball placement, Leary rarely misses his target. He has pinpoint accuracy to the short and intermediate parts of the field and even flashed high-end accuracy deep. Leary understands when to put touch on his passes and his timing on touch passes is very impressive. In terms of accuracy, Leary is consistent and stood out in that regard. Leary is also a very advanced player from a mental standpoint. He goes through his read and doesn’t look flustered when his first read isn’t open. When his first few reads aren’t open, Leary is comfortable with hitting his checkdown and not forcing the ball into tight coverage. Leary’s decision-making was excellent and he didn’t make boneheaded decisions. His release is quick and compact, allowing him to get the ball out quickly. On the run, Leary isn’t a threat to pick up more than a few yards but his accuracy didn’t go down on the move. Leary is a traditional pocket passer but he isn’t reluctant to try and create outside of structure. Another aspect of Leary’s game that will translate well at the next level is his composure. He plays like a leader and makes a number of big throws in key situations. What holds Leary back as a prospect is his upside. He is undersized and it is noticeable on the field. It is easy to bring him down and Leary doesn’t have the athleticism to avoid pressure. On the move, Leary takes short choppy steps that allow for defenders to chase him down. Leary’s arm strength is below average and he’ll struggle to get velocity on passes down the field, causing the ball to flutter. Right now, Leary is a really good football player but he doesn’t have the traits for teams to view him as a potential franchise quarterback. With that being said, he is a very good prospect, who should be taken in the middle rounds and have a long career as a backup quarterback in the NFL.

Grade:

4th Round

Background:

Devin Leary has been one of NC State’s top Quarterbacks. He ranks seventh in school history with over five thousand passing yards and also has fifty one touchdowns to his name. In 2021, he was Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist and broke several single season records in the same season. Leary attended and played quarterback at Timber Creek High School and is New Jersey’s all time leader in passing yards with over nine thousand and touchdowns with one hundred and seventeen. A Sport Management major, Leary is ready to take the Wolfpack to the next level in 2022. 

Quotes: 

"The things he did, taking care of the football, the clutch drives, the two-minute drives, the red zone performances. On top of that, as you get to know Devin, the human being that he is, the teammate that he is, the coachable player that he is, the family person that he is, that's what makes it fun to coach him. God blessed him with arm ability but the family that raised him gave him the opportunity to be the young man that he is. So I'm privileged to coach people like that. It's not always like that. You don't always get people that you get to coach that are humble. With him it's been a great journey and I just look forward to extending it." -- North Carolina State HC Dave Doeren on QB Devin Leary