With the Pittsburgh Steelers facing a significant need at quarterback this offseason once again, FS1 personality and host of “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd has fired off a number of takes regarding quarterbacks the Steelers should take a run at.
From Matthew Stafford to Aaron Rodgers, Cowherd has run the gauntlet at both the pro and college levels. After recently making the case for the Steelers to trade up for Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders in the first round of the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, Cowherd has shifted his gaze to Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard.
On Friday’s show from Super Bowl LIX, Cowherd stated that he would keep his eye on Pittsburgh for Leonard, whom he says he sees a little Justin Fields in.
“Also, I think, keep your eye on Pittsburgh in the second, third round, Riley Leonard. A little like Justin Fields,” Cowherd said of the Notre Dame quarterback, according to video via the show. “Athletic, big, nice arm, young. I think Pittsburgh’s in the market to draft a quarterback.
“It’s not a great quarterback year, but in the second, third round, you may get a little value in Riley Leonard.”
Of course, that’s the same Riley Leonard who led the Fighting Irish to the national championship game and had Cowherd seeing Josh Allen-like talent in the former Duke quarterback who transferred to Notre Dame.
Now, Cowherd sees Justin Fields and believes the Steelers could be the landing spot for the dual-threat quarterback. The comparison from Cowherd to Allen earlier in January doesn’t come close, as Leonard is an inch shorter and 20 pounds lighter and doesn’t have anything close to the arm strength that Allen does.
Leonard is a bit taller than Justin Fields, but he doesn’t have anything close to the same movement skills at the position that Fields does.
While the Steelers need a quarterback this offseason, which could see them re-sign one of Fields or Russell Wilson and draft one, Leonard isn’t exactly a name that would get a reaction from Steelers fans unless they’re Fighting Irish fans, too.
In the scouting report for Steelers Depot of the Notre Dame signal caller, Nate Kosko compared Leonard to Josh Dobbs.
“Overall, I like a lot of Riley Leonard’s game, including his competitiveness, quickness getting through his progressions, rushing ability, and his clutch gene, but I have some concerns as well. His accuracy needs to become consistent at all three levels and he needs to settle down under pressure,” Kosko writes of Leonard. “If he improves these parts of his game, I think he can be a plus player at the next level. I think coaches will fall in love with the competitor and high-integrity person and believe there is room for improvement. My player comp is Josh Dobbs.”
It is not exactly a ringing endorsement when compared to Dobbs, even if Dobbs has shown at times in his NFL career that he can be a serviceable backup who can handle an extended starting role. Still, for a guy with accuracy issues and inconsistencies at all three levels as a passer, spending a second or third-round pick on him would be a mistake by the Steelers, at least as we stand here today.
They can aim higher and do better than Riley Leonard.
