Riley Leonard Given Harsh Reality Check as NFL Combine Blunder Exposed After Notre Dame QB’s Painful Confession

Imagine having a full toolbox but skipping the demonstration—that’s kind of where Riley Leonard’s at. The QB has all the tools—size, speed, the whole nine yards—but he didn’t show them off when it mattered. After those national title dreams fizzled, this was his chance to be the hero. He can scramble, he can evade pressure, and his short game’s solid. But those deep throws? A total mystery. And by skipping the Combine he missed a golden opportunity to flex his athleticism and prove he’s more than just potential. Now, reality’s slapping him in the face. He had the spotlight, and he let it slip. Now, it might have just tanked his draft stock.

On March 6th episode of Irish Breakdown, Ryan Roberts and Sean Stires dove deep into the draft stock of Notre Dame’s quarterback, and the harsh truth about Riley Leonard came to light. When asked about Leonard skipping testing at the NFL Combine, Roberts didn’t hold back, calling it “a missed opportunity.” He continued, “I’m just like, I don’t get it. Like, I understand if you want to focus on just being a quarterback. And if Riley Leonard was a first-round NFL draft pick, I totally get it, man. Like, you don’t want to hurt yourself; you just do what you do. You don’t even have to throw, like, just be there and all that stuff.”

Roberts went further, straight up pointing out how Leonard blew a golden opportunity to display his athleticism at the Combine, especially since his draft stock wasn’t exactly lighting up the boards. “But Riley Leonard, at this point, is a day-three draft throw, right? And one of my biggest selling points is that he’s a great athlete. I mean, like, he literally ran his last year at Duke before the season; he ran four or five something for scouts, right? So, like, he would have run well at the combine. And he’s a former basketball player, so you have to think that he would have had some crazy vertical and then all those types of things.” Honestly, for a player looking to prove himself, skipping testing was likely the worst move he could have made.

Look, Riley Leonard’s athleticism has never been in doubt. A standout in high school, he averaged 20.9 points per game on the basketball court before making his mark as Duke’s dual-threat QB in 2022, racking up nearly 3,000 passing yards and 13 rushing TDs. But after an injury-plagued season at Notre Dame, his draft stock took a hit. And skipping the workout of a 40-yard dash at the Combine only made matters worse—it was a chance to showcase his elite speed and boost his appeal.

That’s exactly why Ryan Roberts voiced real concerns about Leonard’s decision. “I understand wanting to focus on being a quarterback and throwing a football. Like, I understand that completely. But also, you’re a great athlete, like, so I would steer into that, like, steer into being a great athlete. That’s a selling point for a team. Like, you want to make a roster, you want to make sure that you’re on a team consistently throughout the duration of your career. Yeah, use one of your biggest selling points to your advantage.”

So Leonard’s Combine no-show? Definitely raised a few eyebrows, especially since he looked good to go. Yeah, a lot of big-name QBs skipped the throwing and 40-yard dash, but some have got that whole 16-game season excuse, while others are already making headlines in mock drafts. But Leonard? He had a golden chance to show off that elite athleticism. Instead, he left scouts scratching their heads. He did do some QB drills, though. Good placement of his throws, strong arm, but the mid-range stuff? Not so sharp. If he’d gone all-in, the story could be totally different.

Riley Leomard makes a painful confession

Riley Leonard put in months of hard work to reach this stage. At Lucas Oil Stadium, his downfield throws impressed scouts at the Combine. Potential’s obvious, but he’s not a finished product. He’s got the makings of a great QB, so what’s holding him back from reaching that level?

While Leonard knows his strengths, he’s also aware of the red flags. Skittish footwork could be a major concern—a deal-breaker for some teams. Yet he hopes NFL decision-makers see his natural instincts and let him play his way. And that’s where the flaw comes in, and Leonard admitted the challenge himself, saying, “I think NFL offense really complements my feet and makes me play fast, right? Especially when you’re under center. So when my feet are in the ground playing fast and I’m on time, I think I’m very accurate. But when I’m lack… in the pocket, you know, as a longer guy, I can get inaccurate.”

Let’s face it, Leonard’s got the tools to turn heads, even with those rough edges. He carried Notre Dame’s passing game through a mess of injuries and receiver issues, almost to the top. But skipping the Combine? That’s left his draft spot up in the air, mid-round whispers and all. So, will he be a steal, or a gamble?