Just a few days back, ex-Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard made a 1332 miles trip to be there for his sweetheart, Molly Walding’s special day. It was her last formal day as she graduated from Auburn University. Walding needs to feel special. After all, she has been Leonard’s lady luck. Even though the quarterback could not help the Fighting Irish lift the Natty, he came up with 255 yards and 2 touchdowns. Finally, it’s now time for Walding to flex her beau on social media. After all, Leonard is all set to put on the pro league gears as he got selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. His sweetheart is way too proud and comes with a message, as since the very last moment, doubts have prevailed. But Colts’ GM Chris Ballard came up with the surprising move.

Leonard is either covering miles to make his sweetheart feel special or making his fans proud. There is no in between. In three seasons at Duke and one at Notre Dame, the quarterback racked up 7,311 yards and 45 touchdowns. At the same time, he maintained a balance between his profession and love life. With Molly at Auburn and Leonard starting at Duke and later moving to Notre Dame in 2023, the couple was in a long-distance relationship. But they had never let the physical distance grow beyond their bond. Every now and then, whenever they got time, they made it a point to meet each other. Even if it meant flying 1,332 miles in one day. So, how could Walding miss out on being a part of Leonard’s big day?

The ex-Notre Dame signal-caller is the latest quarterback to join a team. Even though his immediate future at the position is still uncertain, Walding could no longer wait to share the special moment with her IG fam. On April 29, she posted a clip on her IG story. It showed Leonard holding a mobile phone, which was on speaker. As he received the news that he had been drafted by the Colts as the 189th overall, his happiness seemed to have no bounds as loud cheers started to fill the room. Sharing the clip, Walding left a note for the doubters. “These moments were too sweet not to share! Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it!!!! The Colts don’t know how lucky they got 💙 @riley.leonard.” Turns out that Ballard and Co. have quenched their hunger.

In the quarterback room, there prevailed a major issue with their two main options to start being Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. So, the Colts were sure to address the situation by adding a young signal caller. According to the Colts, the franchise believes there’s a real chance the former Fighting Irish star could make the roster. After all, Leonard could be an electric choice for the right team mainly because he’s a true dual-threat quarterback. Plus, when it comes to Leonard, we can’t ignore his USPs. He never shies away from contact, is not someone who runs out of bounds when he sees the tackle coming. That’s the kind of toughness that is expected from NFL quarterbacks.

Now what does Ballard tell about Leonard? 

Riley Leonard’s dream came true despite the draft drop 

The Colts’ general manager has always followed his principles when it comes to drafting players. They need to check the boxes for athleticism and potential, rather than solely football skills. Turns out that Leonard has already wooed Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen. During the end-of-draft conference, the GM shared, “He had been training with Philip Rivers. So of course, that is a definite connection. But good to get him. He’s a good player, a good athlete. We think he’s got some upside. He’ll come in and compete.” And what did Steichen say about their new player?

“I just think the athletic ability that he has at the quarterback position, what he was able to do at Notre Dame this year, leading them to the National Championship speaks volumes of the player and the competitor that he is. Just to add that depth in that room is big.” With Leonard finding a new home, what about his contract?

Riley Leonard’s rookie contract is a standard four-year deal valued at $4,435,244, with an average of approximately $1.1 million per year. Plus, his salary cap charge and cash payout are set at $840,000. The calculation goes this way: 0.29% of the Colts’ salary cap and 0.31% of the team’s overall spending. With all this, Leonard no longer feels bad for dropping low in the NFL Draft. As he confessed, “The only place I wanted to be was in Indianapolis. To hear my name called, it didn’t matter the round, I just wanted to be in the building with the guys.’’ Can he match his college stats with sweetheart points for Molly Walding after flying off to the pro league?