Who will replace Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price has been a big Notre Dame football story this offseason. So has the growth and development of CJ Carr. And yet, weirdly, the Irish defense seems largely ignored when analysts talk about how they'll determine whether Marcus Freeman's squad has what it takes to win the national title. However, CBS Sports is no longer ignoring ND's top defensive backs. Leonard Moore and Christian Gray are both among the best defensive backs in the country, and according to a recent article by Brad Crawford, two of the most feared players in the sport.
As Crawford put it, his ranking of the 26 most-feared defenders in the sport isn't about game film alone. It's also about how teams adapt their offensive approaches to avoid those defenders. Leonard Moore often forces teams to adjust how they approach the Irish secondary.
The fact that the two Notre Dame defenders are on the list at all is already impressive. That both are in Crawford's top 10 on the list is even more eyebrow-raising. When people talk about Chris Ash's unit being the game-changer in 2026, Gray and Leonard on the field together are one big reason why.
Moore is the higher-ranked of the two. Crawford lists the corner who has impressed onlookers since his freshman year as the No. 3 most feared defender in college football heading into 2026.
Leonard Moore and Christian Gray give Notre Dame football a feared secondary duo
"Challenging Moore in coverage is a futile proposition for most opposing quarterbacks," Crawford wrote. "Notre Dame's shutdown corner has emerged as the nation's premier defensive back entering 2026, thanks to a rare combination of instincts, patience, and elite recovery speed. What makes him especially dangerous is how comfortable he is in man coverage."
The analyst went on to explain that what makes Moore even more terrifying is that he can be physical at the line of scrimmage and excels at disrupting receivers' rhythm. He's also someone who plays the ball like a wide receiver once it's in the air and anywhere near him.
Gray, who expects to play out of the Nickel more often than not in 2026, said earlier this spring he's most comfortable there. Crawford clearly sees that as a big bonus for the corner, who is ranked No. 8 on the list.
"Gray is moving from field corner to nickel this season, giving him more room to roam inside in addition to extra coverage duties against option routes from tight ends and running backs. Over nine starts in 2025, Gray notched two interceptions and had at least one pass deflection in six consecutive games to end the campaign."
Gray and Leonard appearing on the list is certainly good news for Notre Dame. However, there's one tidbit that stands out as good news for the Irish offense. It also underlines why so many people think ND's schedule is so easy that Freeman's squad finishing anything worse than 11-1 would be a massive failure.
Of the other 24 most feared defenders in college football, only Miami safety Bryce Fitzgerald (26), defensive tackle Ahmad Moten (19), and EDGE Damon Wilson II (6) belong to Notre Dame's 2026 opponents.
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