Leonard Moore Named A Walter Camp Preseason All-America

Cornerback Leonard Moore was a breakout star for Notre Dame during its run to a national championship and expectations are even higher in 2025. After earning Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors last season the Texas native is battling to emerge as the nation's best cornerback as a sophomore. Walter Camp has named Moore as a preseason first-team All-American.

Moore earned his first start in Notre Dame's 31-24 win over Louisville and his first quarter forced fumbled change the direction of that game. His next start came two games later after star cornerback Benjamin Morrison went down with a season-ending injury. Morrison would start the remainder of the season and he emerged as a dominant player for the Irish, who finished the season in the national title game.

By season's end, Moore had racked up 48 tackles, broke up 11 passes, picked off two passes and forced two fumbles. According to Pro Football Focus, Moore held opponents to a 46.4-percent completion rate. He played a huge role in locking down Penn State's receivers in the Orange Bowl, with the Irish secondary holding the Nittany Lion wideouts to zero catches in the 27-24 Notre Dame win.

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At 6-2 with long arms, Moore has the length to thrive at either cornerback spot in the Notre Dame secondary. He showed elite speed last season and as the season wore on you saw him get more and more comfortable in the Notre Dame defense. That is when Moore's lock down ability really took off. Moore gave up just 128 passing yards in the last nine games of the season according to Pro Football Focus.

Moore also showed himself to be a stout perimeter defender against the run thanks to his size and strength. With another year in the system and in the strength program his ability to dominate the run and provide elite man coverage skills should only be enhanced.

Should Moore finish the season where he started - as an All-American player - he would be Notre Dame's first cornerback since 2018 to earn that honor. Julian Love was named a unanimous All-American that season.

A pair of Notre Dame opponents also had preseason first-team All-American players. Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York and Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis were also on the first-team along with Moore.