The hype for sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore has grown exponentially since he enrolled at Notre Dame less than a year ago. At least one outlet believes he’s the best corner in college football, and more will likely follow suit.
Moore is Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 returning cornerback in college football. He is the second member of the Fighting Irish to be named the best returning player at their respective position, following junior running back Jeremiyah Love.
“Moore finished his true freshman season as the third-most-valuable corner in college football according to PFF’s wins above average metric, trailing only Jahdae Barron and Travis Hunter,” PFF college football analyst Max Chadwick wrote. “He was especially good in Notre Dame’s man-heavy scheme, as his 82.5 grade in man coverage was third among all corners in the nation.”
Moore excelled in run defense as well, but he was especially stingy as a pass defender.
“The former three-star recruit is a smooth athlete at 6-foot-2 who mirrors receivers at an elite level already,” Chadwick wrote. “In fact, he only allowed 16 of his 42 targets in single coverage to be caught.”
For PFF’s full list of the top-10 returning cornerbacks in college football, click here.
Moore stacked several accolades during his outstanding freshman season, none more prominent than the FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year Award. He is the first Fighting Irish player to win the award since its inception in 2018.
Notre Dame knew it had something special in Moore from the moment he arrived on campus.
“This might be a stretch, but Leonard Moore will be better than I will be here,” then Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison said during fall camp. “He’s a special kid.”
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman had a hunch during Moore’s recruitment.
“I remember doing a home (recruiting) visit with (defensive backs) Coach (Mike) Mickens at (Moore’s) house,” Freeman said. “We spent some time with his mother and father, who are just some of the brightest individuals I’ve ever been around.”
“I think all those things helped him develop into the football player he is today. He has God-given ability, athleticism. But he’s a very competitive individual. I think he helped expedite the process of getting to where he is now.”
According to PFF, Moore allowed only 26 receptions for 293 yards on 56 targets, good for an opponent completion percentage of 46.4 and a yards per attempt of 5.2. He also came down with 2 interceptions and broke up 7 passes along the way.
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