Leonard Moore Named A Preseason All-American By Athlon Sports

The biggest surprise breakout for Notre Dame during the 2024 season was when cornerback Leonard Moore emerged as one of the nation's best cover players. That breakout has many expecting huge things from the talented sophomore, and that is true for Athlon Sports, who named Moore a preseason first-team All-America player in its 2025 College Football Preview magazine.

Moore was a rotation player for the first four games of the season, playing just five games against Texas A&M and zero snaps against Northern Illinois. That changed against Louisville, as Moore was thrust into the starting lineup due to Christian Gray being out with a hand injury. Two games later, star corner Benjamin Morrison was lost for the season with a hip injury. That is when Moore was inserted into the lineup on a permanent basis.

The Texas native responded in impressive fashion, and his dominant coverage ability played a big role in the Notre Dame defense remaining one of the nation's best pass defenses for the final 10 games of the season. 

Moore showed maturity beyond his years and quickly played like a star, which earned him Freshman All-America honors. The Football Writers Association of America also named him the national Defensive Freshman of the Year.

The expectation is that Moore will now cement himself as the best cornerback in the country, regardless of class. Athlon Sports clearly sees Moore as already being that kind of player, which is why he's on their preseason first-team All-America squad.

Moore finished his rookie season with 48 tackles, 11 pass break ups, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two tackles for loss. His coverage skills were outstanding, as he allowed just a 46.4-percent completion rate when targeted (Pro Football Focus). He was at his best in the postseason, allowing just nine completions on 20 targets as opponents had just 64 passing yards against him.

What makes Moore special is that he's not only a talented cover player, he's also an outstanding player against the run. That makes him a talented dual-threat cornerback that uses his length, speed and instincts to be a top level cover player while using his strength and size to be a force against the perimeter run game.

Moore's presence is a key reason why the Notre Dame secondary is considered one of the nation's best. 

A pair of Notre Dame opposing linebackers also made the first-team All-America squad by Athlon. That would be Pittsburgh veteran Kyle Louis and Texas A&M standout Taurean York.