Notre Dame landed two names on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List, and both are exactly the kind of players you’d expect to see there: junior quarterback CJ Carr and junior cornerback Leonard Moore.
The list includes 50 players overall, with 41 on offense and just nine on defense. Notre Dame is one of only five teams to place both an offensive and defensive player on the watch list, a tidy reflection of how much star power the Irish are carrying on both sides of the ball.
Moore’s inclusion hardly raises an eyebrow. The Texas native finished the 2025 season as Notre Dame’s interception leader and was named a Unanimous All-American even though he missed two regular season games. At 6-2 and 197 pounds, he returns as the team’s clear No. 1 cornerback and one of the premier defensive players in the country.
Carr has been piling up attention all offseason, too. The Saline, Michigan native is widely viewed as one of the top returning quarterbacks in college football, and the expectations around him are heavy.
With major offensive departures around him, he’s set up to be a central piece of Notre Dame’s success this fall. Last season, the 6-2, 215-pound quarterback broke the program record in passer rating and helped lead the Irish through a 10-game win streak to finish the year.
Notre Dame also has some history with this award. Four Irish players have won it before, beginning with tight end Ken MacAfee in 1977.
Wide receiver Tim Brown took it in 1987, the same year he won the Heisman Trophy. Raghib" Rocket" Ismail won in 1990, and linebacker Manti Te'o added another in 2012.
That total leaves Notre Dame tied for the second-most winners by any program in the award’s history.
The Irish aren’t the only team with players on the list from their 2026 schedule. Miami put three players on it: quarterback Darien Mensah, running back Mark Fletcher and wide receiver Malachi Toney.
BYU’s veteran running back LJ Martin was selected, and SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings also made the cut. Miami, BYU and SMU are all ranked in the AP Preseason Top 25 and are described as the three toughest opponents Notre Dame will face in 2026.
In Other News...
Notre Dame May Have Another Answer Emerging At Wide Receiver
Matt Jeffery has spent camp making the most of a crowded receiver room, and Notre Dame has taken notice. The former lacrosse scholarship athlete and walk-on has been pushing for playing time while earning praise from coaches and teammates for the kind of athleticism and versatility that can carve out a role even when the depth chart looks full. He appeared in 12 games last season, and his momentum has only grown as August has worn on.
The interesting part for Notre Dame is how familiar this path feels. Jeffery arrived as a walk-on wideout and has started to look like another player who can turn that status into real production, especially after standing out in fall camp despite missing spring practice. The Irish have seen this story before with Jordan Faison, and Jefferys rise gives the offense another intriguing option to track as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Still Has One Pressing Receiver Question Before The Opener
A preseason practice moment from Bubba Frazier offered a reminder of why Notre Dames receiver room still feels like one of the most interesting position groups on campus. The freshman slot receiver showed up in a big way during Mondays session, and it came at a time when the Irish are still sorting through a talented pass-catching group that has flashed ability but has not yet settled into a clear pecking order.
Mike Brown has been candid about the work involved in evaluating the room, and the challenge is easy to see with the opener drawing closer. Notre Dame is trying to piece together a lineup after key departures and some lingering health concerns, which makes every practice rep feel a little more meaningful as the staff looks for reliable answers before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]