The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1451622
2022 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Panthers to an 8-1 record while play- ing a national schedule that featured the likes of Florida powerhouses IMG Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas, and California powerhouse De La Salle. He closed out his high school career with a standout performance at the Under Armour All-American practices and brought home MVP honors from the Under Armour All-American Game with a two-sack performance, joining Rashan Gary as the second Michigan defensive line signee to win the presti- gious honor. He dedicated his performance to for- mer St. Frances Academy teammate Aaron Wilson, a standout defensive end in his own right, who died in April 2021 at the age of 17 after a battle with brain cancer. With Wilson's parents in the stands, Moore dominated against some of the best high school football players in the country, bringing out Wilson's No. 4 jersey on game day and wearing a T-shirt with his fallen teammate's pic- ture on it underneath. Moore enrolled at Michigan days after his MVP performance and expressed excitement to reunite with his former St. Frances teammates and Poggi in Ann Arbor. With his high school career offi- cially in the rearview mirror, Moore has big goals for his time at Michigan. "I'll make sure that I leave graduating with a degree, and hopefully be the best defensive end in the [NFL] Draft and in college football and hopefully be a first- round pick," he said. Moore carries a heavy heart as he be- gins his career at Michigan. Just weeks after enrolling, he tragically lost another high school teammate in St. Frances junior wide receiver Lamar Patterson, a three-star recruit who held an offer from Michigan. Moore honored Patterson on social media and helped raise funds to help Patterson's family lay him to rest in his hometown of Kissimmee, Fla. Moore shares the heartbreak of the tragedy with Poggi, who recruited Patterson to move from Florida to St. Frances Acad- emy for his high school career. Together, the two carry the weight of a life lost too soon. As Moore moves on to the next stage of his career, he looks to make Wilson and Patterson proud every step of the way. ❑ Moore was the MVP of the Under Armour All-American Game, where he notched a pair of sacks and honored his late friend and prep teammate, Aaron Wilson, by bringing out his No. 4 jersey during introductions. PHOTO BY JOSEPH HASTINGS/ON3.COM MARCH 2022 THE WOLVERINE 49 THEY SAID IT • On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power after watch- ing Moore at Under Amour All-Amer- ican Game practice: "Moore mainly played at defensive end and was at his best as a pure power rusher. He's very strong and was able to convert speed to power. There were multiple instances where he was able to stun some tal- ented offensive linemen with his initial punch. We also saw him have one of the better showings in the game with an inspired effort in honor of his late teammate, Aaron Wilson." • On3 senior national recruiting an- alyst Gerry Hamilton after watching Moore at Under Amour All-American Game week: "The Michigan signee's hand strength and contact power was clearly evident. He flashed fast-twitch reactive athleticism off the edge. Closed on the ball with quickness, and showed the ability to pursue the ball from back- side. Moore showed this week that he can be a three-down player at the next level with the frame to carry 280 pounds or more." 2022 Projection Michigan has a tall task ahead in replacing Aidan Hutchinson and Da- vid Ojabo off the edge. Coming off an impressive senior season, Moore could fill the role as soon as the 2022 season. Originally seen as a pure speed rusher, Moore harnessed the ability to convert speed to power and unlocked another level to his game late in his high school career. With a few months in Michigan's strength and conditioning program and a strong spring, Moore could leapfrog veteran edge rushers on the depth chart and find his way onto the field early in his career. Moore on U-M "Michigan already feels like home. The same stuff we do at St. Frances, Michigan does. So I just felt I'd be comfortable there."