Three QBs Ohio State Football is linked to in the portal
By Ryan Stano
2. Riley Leonard
Perhaps the crown jewel of the quarterback transfer market, Riley Leonard would be the perfect guy for the Ohio State football team next season. The former Duke quarterback was excellent this season in the games that he was able to play at full health.
Leonard started off the season with an electric performance over Clemson that got him known nationally. He was actually projected as a first-round pick just a few weeks into the season. He finished off 2023 throwing for 1,102 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Leonard also ran the ball 58 times for 352 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Why were his numbers so low? Injuries. Leonard played in parts of seven games this year because of ankle issues. Once he got hurt during the Notre Dame game, his season was essentially over. He couldn’t move around the pocket and evade pass rushers.
I’ve seen a couple of reports suggesting Ohio State could be in the mix, but it seems more likely that Leonard will head to Notre Dame. He is visiting there today and tomorrow. If that visit doesn’t go well though, the Buckeyes should swoop in and nab him.
Leonard was excellent in 2022 when he was fully healthy. He threw for just under 3,000 yards and had 20 touchdowns through the air to go along with 124 carries for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. He would be a true dual-threat that Ohio State hasn’t had since Justin Fields.
The final quarterback Ohio State has been linked to is the one with the rawest talent.