Three Irish Named to Walter Camp Preseason All-America Team

Notre Dame will head into the 2026 season with three players already carrying preseason All-America recognition. Offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp, safety Leonard Moore and defensive back Kyngston Viliamu-Asa were all tabbed for the Walter Camp Preseason All-America Team, the organization announced Tuesday from New Haven, Connecticut. Knapp and Moore were tapped for the first team, while Viliamu-Asa landed on the second team.

Founded in 1889, Walter Camp fields the oldest All-America team in college football and remains one of the five organizations whose selections factor into a player's consensus and unanimous All-America status. With three honorees on this year's list, Notre Dame is one of only six programs nationally to place at least that many players on the preseason team — an early signal of how much talent is returning to South Bend this fall.

Anthonie Knapp

Knapp picks up his first Walter Camp preseason nod after starting along Notre Dame's offensive line in 27 games across the last two seasons. He was a driving force behind a rushing attack that ranked among the most efficient in the country a year ago, with the Irish averaging 5.7 yards per carry — tied for third-best in the FBS. Notre Dame topped 200 rushing yards per game and averaged 7.3 yards per play behind Knapp's work up front, underscoring just how much the ground game leaned on his group.

Leonard Moore

Moore returns to the first team for a second consecutive year after a breakout, unanimous All-American campaign. In 10 starts, he paced the Irish with five interceptions — tied for seventh-most nationally — while adding 31.0 total tackles, a forced fumble and seven pass breakups. His signature moment came against Boise State last October, when he came away with three takeaways (two interceptions and a forced fumble) to go with six solo tackles, a performance that earned him both Walter Camp FBS Defensive Player of the Week and Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week honors. Moore was also named to the Lott Impact Trophy Watch List last month.

Kyngston Viliamu-Asa

Viliamu-Asa earns his first career preseason All-America honor after a productive sophomore season that saw him appear in 11 games, including two starts, before a late-season injury ended his year early. The Inland Empire, California, native still finished fourth on the team with 48.0 total tackles, adding 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries. Like Moore, he was named to the Lott Impact Trophy Watch List in May.

With this trio already drawing national recognition before a snap of the 2026 season, Notre Dame's offensive and defensive fronts look poised to anchor another competitive campaign under Marcus Freeman.