SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Lott IMPACT Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s top defensive player who makes an impact on and off the field.
Moore has made a statement thus far in the 2025 season, earning seven midseason first-team All-America honors, including by The Associated Press, The Sporting News, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Focus and Athlon Sports. He has also been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, which honors college football’s top defensive back.
Notre Dame has had one Lott IMPACT Trophy winner: linebacker Manti Te’o in 2012.
In just seven games played this season, Moore has posted three interceptions. He leads Power 4 cornerbacks with a 90.0 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. Among starting Power 4 cornerbacks, Moore ranks third in interception rate (10 percent), fourth in explosive play rate allowed (one percent), fourth in yards allowed per cover snap (0.5) and seventh in target rate in coverage (10 percent).
Moore, in addition to his three interceptions this season, has posted six passes defended, 22 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble in just seven games played. With Moore’s help, Notre Dame ranks third in the nation in total interceptions (16) and fourth in the country in turnover margin (1.11).
Two of Moore’s interceptions came in the same game vs. Boise State, a career-best performance. For his performance that week, he was named the Walter Camp FBS Defensive Player of the Week and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week. He became the first Notre Dame player to have multiple interceptions in the same game since 2023 (Xavier Watts).
The 2024 FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, Moore entered the 2025 season with several accolades, as he was named to the Preseason All-America First Team lists by Walter Camp, The Sporting News, the Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN, CBS Sports, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. He has also been named to patch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy.