SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior cornerback Leonard Moore and junior linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa both were named to the 2026 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, an award recognizing college football’s best defensive player in character and performance. It’s the second-straight year Moore has been named to this preseason watch list.
Moore heads into his junior season after being named an Unanimous All-American in 2025 after being named First-Team All-American by each of the five recognized organizations: AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, Sporting News and Walter Camp. The Round Rock, Texas native was also a finalist for both the Jim Thorpe Award and Bronko Nagurksi Trophy.
In 2025, Moore started in 10 games for the Irish and led the team with five interceptions, which was tied for the seventh-most in the country. He tallied 31.0 total tackles, forced one fumble and had seven pass breakups.
Moore made his presence known in multiple games throughout the season. Against Boise State last October, he forced three turnovers (two interceptions, one forced fumble), for his first career multi-interception game. Moore, who also had six solo tackles against the Broncos, was named the Walter Camp FBS Defensive Player of the Week and the Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week following his performance.
In the home finale against Syracuse, Moore scored his first career touchdown, returning an interception back 46 yards to put Notre Dame up 21-0 in the first quarter. He followed that up the next week against Stanford with another interception and three pass breakups.
Viliamu-Asa saw action in 11 games last year, making two starts before missing the final game of the season due to injury. The Inland Empire, California native finished fourth on the team with 48.0 total tackles. He also notched 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks to go along with an interception, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries during his sophomore campaign.
In his first start of the season against NC State, Viliamu-Asa logged six tackles and hauled in an interception in the fourth quarter. Later in the year at Boston College, Viliamu-Asa recorded a career-high nine tackles – six solo and three assisted. He also registered two tackles for loss and recorded a sack on third down late in the fourth quarter.