SOUTH BEND, Ind. – On the heels of his FWAA Freshman All-America Team selection, true freshman cornerback Leonard Moore has been named the 2024 FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. He is the first Irish player to earn a FWAA Freshman Player of the Year honor since the organization instituted the award in 2018.
Moore, a 2024 FWAA Freshman All-American, was also named the 2024 College Football Network Freshman Cornerback of the Year, as well as being named to the Freshman All-America teams for ESPN, The Athletic (First Team), Pro Football Focus, the College Football Network and the 247Sports True Freshman All-America Team.
Moore, now with nine starts under his belt, totaled seven tackles in each of his first two career starts. He has posted two interceptions this season, one against Virginia and one against Navy.
This season, Moore has totaled 43 tackles, including 2.0 TFL, 10 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a QB hurry. He has made an impact throughout Notre Dame’s CFP run, totaling five tackles, two pass breakups and a TFL against Georgia and allowing just one catch for a 39.6 opposing passer rating against Indiana, according to Pro Football Focus.
Moore recorded five pass breakups in the 49-35 victory at USC, tied for the second-most pass breakups in a single game by any FBS player this season, and the only freshman in the country to achieve the feat in 2024.
In the 35-14 win over Virginia, Moore snagged an interception which led to an Irish touchdown drive, adding a quarterback hurry and three tackles. In his third-career start in the 51-14 win at No. 24 Navy, Moore snagged his first-career interception on fourth down to cement an Irish victory.
Moore shone in his second-career start, leading the Irish secondary with seven tackles and being the key playmaker on the defining drive of the 31-13 win at Georgia Tech. In addition to his seven tackles, Moore posted a TFL (-16 yards) and two pass breakups.
In his first-career start in Notre Dame’s 31-24 win over No. 15 Louisville, he led the entire defense with seven tackles (six solo), forcing a fumble to return possession to the Irish and leading to a Notre Dame touchdown to take the lead. With the game tied in the first quarter, Moore executed a textbook punch-out on a Louisville QB run, giving Notre Dame possession at the Irish 47-yard line and leading to a touchdown on the ensuing drive to take a 14-7 lead. Notre Dame would not relinquish the lead.