The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2022 THE WOLVERINE 41 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan kicked off the month of July with some fireworks, notch- ing a commitment from St. Louis Car- dinal Ritter Prep wide receiver Fredrick Moore. The three-star prospect picked Mich- igan over Big Ten bunkmates Illinois and Michigan State on July 2, marking its second recruiting win of the summer — U-M landed four-star Chicagoland tight end Deakon Tonielli in June. "I committed to Michigan because I love Coach [Ron] Bellamy and the win- ning spirit in Ann Arbor," Moore said. "I felt like it was home for me and my family. It's somewhere my family can send me and trust me. I just love the city and the program." As Moore mentioned, Michigan wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy is a huge reason the Wolverines were able to se- cure a verbal pledge in this recruitment. Bellamy extended an offer to Moore during the spring evaluation period and made his way down to St. Louis to see him work out. He worked hard on Moore over the next couple of months and connected well with him on his of- ficial visit in mid-June. "We talk almost every day," Moore said. "He's ready to bring me into the family and the team, so I can contribute and keep helping them beat Ohio State. We have a great relationship. I can call him, and we can talk about more than football." While Moore made his commitment public in July, he actually gave the Wol- verines a silent pledge during his time in Ann Arbor. "I committed to Coach [Jim] Har- baugh in his office, and he talked to me about guarantees," Moore said. "He told me education is guaranteed, which is big for my family. He told me it's guar- anteed that I grow there and that it's more than just football. I just loved it at Michigan. "A.J. Henning was my host, and he gave me a good vibe. He showed me how much work the team puts in. "They want to keep beating Ohio State and win another Big Ten champi- onship. The campus and facilities are all nice. I also like the Jordan Brand. That's different from other schools. The Big House is crazy. Everybody dreams of playing there." At 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Moore has a slender build with long arms and the versatility to play in the slot or on the outside. As a junior, Moore logged 41 receptions for 1,010 yards and 12 touch- downs. While Moore is ranked as just the No. 82 wide receiver nationally, per the On3 Consensus, he feels like he can make a major impact in Ann Arbor. "Michigan is always going to get the best out of me," Moore said. "I may be underrated, but trust me, I'm going to show you my best. I feel like I can compete at the highest level. My biggest attribute is my route running. I feel like I can fit in well with J.J. [McCarthy]. I promise we're going to win a championship." In order to fulfill that promise, Michi- gan needs to win some big battles on the recruiting trail. And Moore is already doing his best to be a leader for the Wol- verines this cycle. "I'm recruiting anybody that has us in their top schools," Moore said. "I'm going to try to get my teammate [On300 safety] Marvin Burks to join us, too. "[Top 100 athlete] Jeremiyah Love is another one. We've been talking heav- ily about Michigan. He had a lot of fun when he was out there. I feel they should join me because we have chem- istry and can keep building it." — EJ Holland Missouri Receiver Fredrick Moore Is Ready To Show Out Moore recorded 41 receptions for 1,010 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior at St. Louis Cardinal Ritter Prep. PHOTO COURTESY FREDRICK MOORE PLAYER EVALUATION Strengths: Moore is a high-level route runner who gets in and out of breaks like a small guy and shows good acceleration. He has long arms and an excellent catch radius when going over the middle. While Moore lacks true straight-line speed, he makes up for it with his quickness and fluidity. He rips off plenty of explosive plays on film and had a productive junior year, going over 1,000 yards receiving and returning three kicks for touchdowns. Areas Of Improvement: The biggest question about Moore is his speed. Last year's personal-best 100-meter time of 11.55 obviously leaves a lot to be desired. Moore turns a lot of short pass plays into big gains, but he doesn't stretch the field often. He did struggle with some drops at events this offseason and doesn't appear to be a natural pass catcher. He has skinny arms and a wiry frame. Adding strength and weight will be key for him moving forward. Michigan Player Comparison: Michigan sophomore Andrel Anthony was faster and more athletic than Moore coming out of high school, but the two do share similar traits. Like Moore, Anthony was known for his ability to turn short pass plays into touchdowns. He was also an effective return man. Moore has a similar thin frame with the catch radius of Anthony. — EJ Holland