Notre Dame defensive coordinator Chris Ash doesn’t hand out praise easily.
In fact, Ash tends to keep his interviews tight and measured, rarely diving too deep. But when the conversation turned to sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore, Ash didn’t hesitate to open up.
Why? It probably starts with Ash quickly realizing he had a lockdown cornerback when he first watched the film in the winter.
”It took me about three or four plays into the film that I watched when I first got here,” Ash said in response to when he knew Moore was a guy. “It didn't take long. Then it didn't take long out at practice.
“He's been our boundary corner and there's not a lot of completions over in that area and usually when it's a quiet day for someone like that at corner, he's probably pretty good.”
At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Moore brings the frame to match up with bigger boundary receivers. But he also flashes the athleticism, fluidity, and speed typically reserved for field corners — if not more.
”It's everything,” stated Ash. “If you were to draw up or write up the characteristics that you want in a corner, he's got them all. He's long. He's athletic. He's quick. He's fast. He's tough. He practices extremely hard. He's consistently doing the right things. He's instinctive.”
Ash has even noticed Moore’s mental makeup. On the rare occasion a pass is completed on him, Moore doesn’t dwell on it and moves on to the next play.
“When he takes a chance, it's usually to make a play and that's usually what he does,” explained Ash. “He's got a short memory. He doesn't give up many plays, but when he does, he moves on to the next play.”
The nation has also noticed the Texas native’s immense talent. In a world where Social Media is king, Moore dominates every cornerback list despite entering his sophomore year. Even College Football ‘26 pegged him as the No. 2 cornerback in the country behind Tennessee’s Jermond McCoy.
For those inside the program, Moore’s ascent isn’t surprising. His talent was evident long before he played a snap.
“This might be a stretch, but Leonard Moore will be better than I will be,” stated former Notre Dame All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison following the second week of fall camp. “Really.”
Current Virginia receiver Jayden Thomas saw plenty of quality cornerbacks during his four years at Notre Dame, but Moore quickly got his attention.
“When you get a cornerback who has that length and the skill in the boundary, it’s unstoppable,” explained Thomas. “BMo is more physical, I would say, even though he doesn’t look physical. Leonard has the length, which is more than BMo. If he gets the feet right, it’s going to be scary.
“I think I was telling Beaux (Collins) and Deion (Colzie) that he’s going to be the truth.”
Morrison, who was drafted on the second round of the NFL Draft, roomed with Moore during camp last fall and was able to share valuable advice. Now, Moore will look to pass that down to a talented freshman class.
“He's a special kid, just the way he approaches the game, the way he goes about his business,” explained Morrison. “I'm biased because he’s my roommate and I'm biased because I believe I'm giving him some tips and getting him there, but I think he has what it takes.
“I don't want to put any pressure on the kid because you’ve still got to see him on game day, but he's a special kid. I love his work ethic. I love the way he goes about it. He's very nonchalant about his work — just gives his best.”
Moore will now have to avoid getting content and reading the hype as he enters his second year at Notre Dame, but there’s not a person in the building who believes he will take a step back.
”I haven't seen too many like him,” said Ash. “He's rare. The combination of size and ability that he has is rare. There are a lot of guys who have some ability, but they're typically not as big as him. I mean, he's a big corner. And what he can do athletically with his size is pretty impressive.”
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