If you’d walked into Colts rookie camp this spring, you might’ve missed Riley Leonard at first glance, another tall, athletic quarterback amidst a horde of blue and white, attempting to leave his footprint. The following minute, observe the way he dominates the huddle, the serenity in his eyes, the quiet assurance as he zips a pass into a narrow window or tucks the ball and sprints down the sideline. But all of this coolness did not magically happen.

Two college teams sewed together Leonard’s road to the NFL, each molding him in its unique way. At Duke, with Manny Diaz, Leonard learned to succeed in adversity, frequently shouldering the Blue Devils on his back and flashing brilliance against some of the ACC’s best defences. Then came his transfer to Notre Dame, where Marcus Freeman gave him the keys to a national-title-contending offence. Looking back, Leonard takes a moment to appreciate his roots in a press conference.

“People think that, Oh, college football, you’re an athlete, they are only paying you to be an athlete. Well, apparently, the schools I picked up are like…god! We are going to every class, and that’s a good thing,” says Leonard. “Parents send your kids to these two schools (Duke and Notre Dame), you’ll be just fine,” he added.

Riley Leonard is grateful to his schools. Duke provided him with the opportunity to hone his skills, and he accumulated some good stats in the process while getting close with coaches and teammates. But when the ankle injury struck and the transfer portal beckoned, Riley wasn’t only considering football; he was considering legacy and where he could run out of steam. Come on in, Notre Dame, a place that struck him squarely in the feels. Though he’d never visited before, the history, the culture, and the family connection to his heritage made it feel like kismet. And the way Coach Freeman greeted him, with that authentic, teammate feel, made it a no-brainer.

During the presser, Leonard was elated to endorse his school for the next generations. Someone asked him about the academic hustle at Duke and Notre Dame. “Look, man, I gotta tell you-at Duke and Notre Dame, you’re not just an athlete, you’re a full-time student with a side gig in football,” said Riley. You show up in class, and all the athletes are there – that’s the culture.

“Work hard, play hard.” Blue Devils’ pride isn’t in championships, but acing those finals as well. Notre Dame? It’s the same grind, but a pinch of faith and tradition mixed in. The Irish adore football, but they’ll be sure to tell you you’re a student first, and that’s the true badge of honor. So if anyone has got questions regarding the academics of these schools, Riley has the answer. Notre Dame and Duke don’t just produce athletes, they make all-arounders. Real mind-and-body connection.

A playoff reminder, Warren can’t escape

Talking about culture, it’s crazy to think about Riley Leonard and Tyler Warren now wearing the same NFL jersey after facing each other in college, talk about a twist of fate! Just last winter, these two were arch-nemesis: Leonard calling plays at Notre Dame and Warren catching passes at Penn State, both giving the other fits in the Orange Bowl. That one was a heart-stopper, with Leonard’s Irish narrowly outlasting Warren’s Nittany Lions 27-24.

In the Colts locker room, Leonard has been quick to remind Warren of that legendary Irish comeback, particularly how Notre Dame earned their ticket to the national title game with a last-second field goal. Leonard’s got that mischievous swagger. It’s all in good spirits, but you know Warren’s certainly looking for some payback, even if it’s just in practice drills or who gets to the Gatorade cooler first. The beauty of this? These two have a ton of respect for each other. Warren was a monster in that game, making six catches for 68 yards, and Leonard knows it. But a victory’s a victory, and Leonard’s not going to let Warren forget who packed him off home in the playoffs.

It’s the sort of good-natured trash talk that improves a locker room, and you can bet the rest of the Colts rookies are enjoying every minute of it. If anything, it’s just motivating both guys to take that playoff flair to the NFL level-because nothing “welcomes you to the league” quite like getting ridiculed by your new teammate over last year’s disappointment.