The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1493247
2023 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE 42 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2023 BY ZACH LIBBY Linebacker Hayden Moore, out of Au- rora (Colo.) Regis Jesuit, became the third linebacker of the 2023 class to commit to Michigan, just two days before the Na- tional Signing Day in December. He had previously been committed to Nebraska for almost six months. The timeline for flipping Moore's com- mitment to U-M — a process that lasted throughout the summer and fall by former line- backers coach George Helow — accelerated once Moore visited Ann Arbor on back-to-back weekends in December. "One of the biggest things for me through- out this whole process, when I was making my decision, was building relationships between the players and coaches," Moore said. "I feel like, out of any- where that I have been, everyone at Michigan had this common goal and supported each other — no matter what. I've never been around a program that's like that so far. That made it feel like home." The Wolverines offered Moore in late May last year, but the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder pledged in mid-June to the Cornhuskers, well before head coach Scott Frost was fired in September. During the turmoil in Lincoln all fall prior to Matt Rhule being announced as head coach in late November, Moore kept in contact with Helow. He scheduled and took his first visit in Ann Arbor on Dec. 10. Then he canceled a planned official to Texas A&M and re- turned to Michigan the following week- end for an official visit. He and his family received more ex- tended time with Helow, defensive coor- dinator Jesse Minter and head coach Jim Harbaugh. "It was great, and ev- eryone was super nice to me and my fam- ily," Moore said. "My player-host was [fresh- man linebacker] Jimmy Rolder, and he showed me around. I also hung out with some of the other [native] Colorado players, too. "I got to be around a lot of different position groups and the entire team as a whole. … The walk-ons are treated just as well as the starters. That just says everything about the culture that Coach [Jim] Harbaugh has surrounded the program with." Moore returned home from his official visit, immediately decommitted from Ne- braska on Dec. 18 and then took to social media to publicly share his new school on Dec. 19. "I learned that it's not just about foot- ball," Moore said. "At the end of the day, it has to be the complete package — con- nection-wise, education-wise and re- lationship-wise. Michigan definitely fit what I was looking for." Moore will take the mound as a stand- out pitcher on the Regis Jesuit baseball team this spring and then enroll at Michi- gan in June. The U-M baseball program and head coach Tracy Smith have offered him the opportunity to remain a dual- sport athlete in college. "Both coaching staffs [at U-M] are pretty open with me playing two sports," Moore said. "It's definitely doable. On my end, I think it'll be pretty easy because I'm a pitcher. But we'll see how that plays out. It just depends on how I feel after enrolling and getting acclimated to the school." ❏ Almost A Cornhusker, Linebacker Hayden Moore Made Late Switch To U-M 2023 Projection Moore wrapped up his senior year with nearly 200 tackles, an average of 16.4 per game. He routinely flashed displays of in- telligence, awareness and a downhill-first mentality that a true Big Ten linebacker needs. At 205 pounds, Moore is on the lighter side, but the U-M strength and condition- ing staff will soon change that. It's more likely that he could make an impact on special teams as a freshman while he develops in the weight room and on the practice field. As a senior at Aurora (Colo.) Regis Jesuit, Moore was the state's lead- ing tackler last fall with 197 stops (16.4 per game). PHOTO COURTESY ON3.COM STATISTICS Year Tackles TFL Sacks FF INT 2022 197 17 7 1 1 2021 111 11 5 — — HONORS • Colorado High School Activities Associa- tion All-State as a senior. • Denver Post first-team All-Colorado (2022). • Two-time All-South League honoree (first team, 2022; second team, 2021). • Was the state's leading tackler as a senior (197 total); averaged 16.4 per game. • Helped the Raiders to a 7-5 record his senior year and an 8-4 mark as a junior, with playoff appearances both years. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Michigan on Dec. 19, 2022 after receiving offer on May 31, 2022. • Picked U-M over Nebraska, Colorado and Iowa State. • Originally was committed to Nebraska in June 2022 but reopened his recruitment after head coach Scott Frost was fired in September. • Recruited by former U-M linebackers coach George Helow. DID YOU KNOW? • A two-way player who also contributed as a wide receiver for the Raiders. • Also lettered in track and field and in baseball for Regis, excelling as a pitcher. • Also recruited by U-M baseball team. • Posted a 5-0 record and 4.77 ERA as a junior, racking up 21 strikeouts in 22 in- nings pitched. • Son of Justin and Dawn Moore. • Born May 4, 2004. THEY SAID IT Danny Filleman, head coach at Regis Jesuit: "He's a great competitor. He doesn't like to lose, and he refuses to lose, which is dangerous. You don't get to coach kids like him every year." HAYDEN MOORE LINEBACKER 6-3 • 205 REGIS JESUIT HIGH PARKER, COLO. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ 1,178 111 8 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 98 9 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 105 6 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 70 8 ✪ ✪ ✪ — — — consensus