Devin Leary’s college football career has been a long, winding road. Joining the NC State Wolfpack in 2018 before transferring to play for the Kentucky Wildcats, he has exhausted all eligibility, overcoming adversity, injuries, and setbacks.
The college stats show Leary has had an incredibly productive career, but season-ending injuries have inevitably affected his final statistics. However, after thriving in the ACC and showing his leadership and experience in the SEC, the veteran QB now heads to the pros.
Devin Leary Redshirts Freshman Season
Leary, a three-star recruit from Timber Creek Regional High School in New Jersey, where he set multiple state records, faced a challenging start at NC State. He redshirted in 2018, not seeing a single snap, and began the 2019 season as the backup.
In 2019, Leary made a significant impact, playing in eight games and starting five. His performances were exceptional, and he became the first redshirt freshman to start for the Wolfpack since Russell Wilson in 2010.
His season-high game came against Boston College, where he completed 15 of his 33 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. Leary then started the final five games of the season. However, he lost every game in a down year for the program.
Completions: 101
Attempts: 210
Yards: 1,219
Comp. %: 48.1%
TDs: 8
INTs: 5
Rush Attempts: 40
Rush Yards: 46
Rush TDs: 0
COVID and Injuries Harm Leary’s Second Season
Unforeseen challenges marked Leary’s 2020 season. Despite entering the season as the expected starter, the impact of COVID led to him being contact traced before the start of the year, causing him to miss game time.
Leary missed the opening game of the season and came off the bench in Week 2 against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The Wolfpack QB started the next three games of the season against Pittsburgh, Virginia, and Duke. Against Pitt, Leary became the first NC State quarterback since Wilson to throw for more than 330 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.
However, in the second half against the Blue Devils, Leary fractured his fibula, requiring season-ending surgery.
Completions: 66
Attempts: 110
Yards: 890
Comp. %: 60.0%
TDs: 8
INTs: 2
Rush Attempts: 19
Rush Yards: 7
Rush TDs: 0
Leary Explodes In Record-Setting 2021 Season
Back healthy, Leary was again named the start for the 2021 season, and a record-setting campaign ensued. NC State finished 9-3 on the season and ended the year ranked 24th in the College Football Top 25 rankings.
Leary played the best football of his career, breaking Philip Rivers’ single-season touchdown record with 35 passes. His 3,433 passing yards ranked sixth in the program history books, and he became the first Wolfpack quarterback to throw four or more touchdowns against five ACC teams in the same season.
The prolific season continued throughout the year, with Leary going six consecutive weeks without a single interception. In total, the quarterback threw 228 passes without an interception, the third-longest streak in school history, before finally throwing an interception on a Hail Mary attempt against Florida State.
Completions: 283
Attempts: 431
Yards: 3,433
Comp. %: 65.7%
TDs: 35
INTs: 5
Rush Attempts: 54
Rush Yards: -75
Rush TDs: 2
Another Season-Ending Injury Closes Out Leary’s NC State Career
Leary entered his senior season in 2022, hoping to replicate the tantalizing form he found the year before. However, he only played in six games after suffering another season-ending injury against Florida State.
Until then, Leary had the Wolfpack in fine form, winning four games to start the season before a loss in Week 5 to Clemson. The pectoral muscle injury cost Leary the remainder of the 2022 season and ended his career in Raleigh.
Opting to enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, Leary left NC State with a 17-9 record and ranked sixth in school history with 6,807 passing yards.
Completions: 118
Attempts: 193
Yards: 1,265
Comp. %: 61.1%
TDs: 11
INTs: 4
Rush Attempts: 23
Rush Yards: 1
Rush TDs: 3
Leary Links Up With Kentucky For Final Year
Leary committed to Kentucky for his final season of eligibility, looking to challenge himself in the SEC. He was immediately named a captain in Lexington and started all 13 games in 2023.
It was a strong campaign for Leary, who threw 25 touchdown passes, the second most in the SEC and sixth most in Kentucky program history, and the most since 2007. In his 13 starts, Leary had eight games with two or more touchdowns as Kentucky finished the season with a 7-6 record.
Leary’s 2,746 passing yards ranked for the ninth most in Wildcats history as the QB rounded out his career on a high. Leary, a semifinalist for Comeback Player of the Year and a Maxwell Award Watchlist member, accepted an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl as he looks to forge a career in the NFL.
Completions: 209
Attempts: 371
Yards: 2,746
Comp. %: 56.3%
TDs: 25
INTs: 12
Rush Attempts: 42
Rush Yards: -60
Rush TDs: 1
Leary’s Final College Stats
Completions: 777
Attempts: 1,315
Yards: 9,553
Comp. %: 59.1%
TDs: 87
INTs: 28
Rush Attempts: 178
Rush Yards: -81
Rush TDs: 6
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