Notre Dame Defense Shines in Preseason Honors | Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football News

Notre Dame’s defense is heating up in preseason hype, with junior cornerback Leonard Moore—last year’s unanimous All-American—leading the charge on the AP’s 2026 first team, joined by linebacker KyngSTONN Viliamu-Asa and safety Brauntae Johnson. While preseason lists are more about building excitement than locking down honors, Moore and running back Jeremiyah Love earned first-team AP nods last season, and Jadarian Price also got recognition. The AP isn’t alone—The Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation also spotlighted Irish talent, with Moore and offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp earning first-team honors from Walter Camp, and four players including Knapp, Johnson, and Drayk Bowen landing second-team nods from Sporting News. With multiple outlets aligning on Notre Dame’s rising stars, the real test will be whether this preseason buzz translates into wins and postseason accolades when the season ends. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/18b2b7542d69c4cd