Notre Dame has six players on The Athletic's top 100

· Yahoo Sports

There are six members of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on The Athletic's list of the top 100 players in college football for the 2026 season.

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They are cornerback Leonard Moore (No. 2 on the list), quarterback CJ Carr (No. 9), linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (No. 50), offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp (No. 55), edge rusher Boubacar Traore (No. 74) and safety Tae Johnson (No. 86).

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was listed at number one.

Here's what the outlet said about Moore: "Moore, a 2025 Thorpe Award finalist, enters 2026 as college football’s best defensive player and has all the desired traits of an elite cornerback. He has good size and length, is sticky in coverage, anticipates well and has terrific ball skills. The junior ranked in the top 10 among Power 4 corners in interceptions (five), fewest yards allowed per reception (7.7), forced incompletion rate (21 percent) and NFL passer rating against (45.9)."

And Carr: "Carr impressed in his starting debut as a redshirt freshman in 2025. He displayed plenty of arm talent, accuracy and poise while throwing for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions for the 10-2 Fighting Irish. The ball jumped out of Carr’s hands, and he showed maturity beyond his years in his grasp and control of Notre Dame’s offense. 'One of the best in the country,' a Power 4 general manager said. 'I think he’s a stud.'"

For Viliamu-Asa: "Viliamu-Asa is as versatile a linebacker as you can find. The 6-3, 234-pound junior is fast and physical, and he’s impactful at the line of scrimmage (he generated 23 pressures last year). He has the speed to chase down ball carriers across the field and excels in coverage."

For Knapp: "Knapp excelled last year as a left tackle, allowing just one sack in 334 pass-blocking snaps. This year, the 6-5, 305-pound junior moves to left guard."

For Traore: "The 6-5, 253-pound senior is long, strong and impactful off the edge. He led the Irish with 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 31 pressures last year."

And finally, for Johnson: "Johnson is an intriguing talent who has the range to chase ball carriers sideline to sideline and the coverage instincts to be in the right spot as a pass defender. He had four interceptions, including a pick-six, and broke up three passes in 10 games last season."

With six players on the list, it's clear why Notre Dame is so high on so many lists.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame has six players on The Athletic's top 100

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