SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Irish trio of linebacker Drayk Bowen, cornerback Leonard Moore and defensive lineman Boubacar Traore were all tabbed to the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, an award recognizing college football’s best defensive player in character and performance.
An Irish player has won the Nagurski Trophy on two occasions: linebacker Manti Te’o (2012) and safety Xavier Watts (2023). Moore was a finalist last year in 2025, while Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was a finalist in 2020 and Shane Walton was a finalist in 2002.
Bowen, a team captain last season, started all 12 games and led the team with 67 tackles - 33 solo and 34 assisted. He also logged three and a half sacks with four pass breakups.
A product of St. John, Indiana, Bowen recorded a career-high 14 tackles, all solo, in a win at Boston College last November. Those 14 tackles were the most by an Irish defender since Alohi Gilman’s 18 against Clemson in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal and the most by any player in the country at that point in the season.
Moore is the lone returning Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist featured on this year's watch list. He 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.
The Round Rock, Texas native 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.
Moore, who has already earned Walter Camp Preseason First Team All-America honors and a spot on the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, earned a 91.8 PFF grade and a 92.5 coverage grade in 2025, both leading the nation. He allowed just a 45.9 passer rating when targeted last season.
Traore led the team last year with 6.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries and 10 tackles for loss. He also forced a fumble in 11 starts in 2025 and was named a College Football Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist.
In last year’s home finale against Syracuse, he posted a career-high three tackles for loss, the first one coming on the game’s opening snap. He also logged two sacks in the win over NC State, tying a career-high.