For the third time in the last two recruiting cycles, Notre Dame has dipped into Central Texas to pull away a top prospect after Round Rock (Texas) cornerback Leonard Moore committed to the Fighting Irish on Saturday morning.

Moore, who is coming off a recent visit to South Bend this past weekend, had a desire to lock in an early commitment from the time he starting piling up offers, and education was always going to be the most important piece to his decision.

“Oh, it was huge,” Moore told Inside ND Sports following the offer. “My dad’s excited too. So that was a big moment for me.”

His father, Dr. Leonard N. Moore, is an award-winning American History professor at the University of Texas, and the academic prowess carries down to his son who owns a 5.1 grade-point average at this point in his high school career.

As for on the field, Moore proved to be one of the top lockdown defensive backs in the entire state of Texas in 2022 after allowing just three receptions on 18 targets on 232 snaps. He also recorded three interceptions and nine pass breakups for one of the top teams in Central Texas.

Moore's length on the boundary makes him a matchup nightmare, even when guarding bigger-framed receivers. His technique and hip fluidity stands among the region's best and it has made him one of the more feared defensive backs in the state of Texas in the 2024 class.

The Irish's presence in Central Texas continues to flourish under Marcus Freeman as Moore joins 2023 signees Braylon James (Round Rock Stony Point) and Jaden Greathouse (Austin Westlake) as the trio of Austin-area playmakers making their way to South Bend.

Notre Dame now owns eight commitments in the 2024 cycle as Moore joins the nation's No. 2 class alongside six four-star prospects. After his breakout junior campaign, Moore is set to join that crop of prospects in the next Rivals rankings update.

At 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Moore is ranked as the No. 34 cornerback in the country for the class of 2024, according to Rivals.