Notre Dame has stockpiled at cornerback in recent years to make up for failures in past recruiting cycles. Thus, the Irish now have four underclassmen defensive backs they think highly of, led by preseason All-American Benjamin Morrison. Adding two more now keeps the position stocked enough to avoid the vacuum of trusted cornerbacks that held Notre Dame back late last decade.
LEONARD MOORE
Round Rock High School; Texas.
Measurements: 6-foot-2, 170 pounds.
Accolades: A rivals.com four-star, Moore is the No. 24 cornerback and No. 209 overall prospect in the class.
Other notable offers: Half of the former Pac 12 chased Moore, as did TCU and Houston out of his homestate of Texas.
Projected position: Moore’s length sets him up for a life on the boundary, a physical cornerback trusted to operate on his own.
Quick take: Moore’s ability to anticipate routes and his above-average speed — low 23-second 200-meter dash times on the track — create an intriguing ceiling.
Short-term roster outlook: Notre Dame has at least two clear starting cornerbacks next season in Morrison and current sophomore Jaden Mickey, with current senior Clarence Lewis a possible starter at nickel if not for Arizona State transfer Jordan Clark. Then there are also current freshmen Christian Gray and Micah Bell. That is all to say, as good as Moore looks, he is unlikely to see much playing time in 2024.
Long-term depth chart impact: But then Lewis and Clark (file that one away) will be out of eligibility and Morrison may be off to the NFL. Opportunities will abound as early as 2025.
RELATED READING: Lengthy Texas cornerback joins Notre Dame class of 2024
Turn it up, Hobbs is home 🏠
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KARSON HOBBS
Moeller High School; Cincinnati.
Measurements: 6-foot-1, 180 pounds.
Accolades: A consensus three-star prospect, rivals.com considers Hobbs to be the No. 54 cornerback in the class.
Other notable offers: Hobbs has been committed to Notre Dame for more than a year, yet before even that early pledge he was committed to South Carolina for three months.
Projected position: Give Hobbs more time in the spotlight to determine where he will best align. His size should preclude a nickel back role, but boundary or field duties will depend on how physically he asserts himself.
Quick take: And give Irish cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens leeway in his evaluation, his development of Cincinnati star Sauce Gardner has been frequently cited by Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman as a moment where Mickens stood alone in hollering for Gardner as a prospect. Add in Morrison’s and Mickey’s progress, and Mickens has earned a longer leash.
Short-term roster outlook: Expect Hobbs to preserve a year of eligibility in 2024.
Long-term depth chart impact: Depth is necessary at cornerback, modern college football requiring at least five on a given Saturday. Hobbs should be within that five by 2025.
