Notre Dame Lands Star Transfer QB In Riley Leonard

Published|Updated

Marcus Freeman locked up his second straight solid transfer QB with the commitment of Riley Leonard.

The former Duke QB entered the portal after the regular season, and there was a lot of speculation South Bend would be his next destination.

Well, that became official Tuesday morning. Leonard announced on Instagram that playing for the Fighting Irish is a "dream come true" as he takes the next step in his career.

You can check out the commitment post below.

Riley Leonard links up with Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame.

It's not a secret a lot of Notre Dame fans aren't huge believers in Marcus Freeman. He's been the subject of a lot of frustration despite a career record of 18-8.

Freeman has won 17 regular season games in his first two full years as head coach, but that's simply not enough to keep fans happy.

Turns out playing in the Gator and Sun Bowl doesn't scratch the itch for Notre Dame fans. Personally, I think a lot of the criticism is overblown, but he simply can't escape it.

However, the one thing Freeman does incredibly well is chasing down QBs in the transfer portal. He landed Sam Hartman prior to the 2023 season, and he now landed Riley Leonard for next season.

The former Duke gunslinger has one season of eligibility left, and is viewed as a legit NFL prospect. A solid season in South Bend, and he could really boost his 2025 draft stock.

He balled out in 2022 with 2,967 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns to six interceptions. However, Leonard suffered injury issues this season, and finished with just three passing touchdowns.

Now, he has a fresh start with the Fighting Irish. That's a win for Freeman and the fans. If he can get back to 100% healthy and playing like he did in 2022, then Notre Dame could be in for a big 2024 year. Are you a Notre Dame fan? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

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David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.