Name: Rod Moore
Height: 5'11″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Clayton (OH) Northmont
Position: Safety
Class: Sixth year senior
Jersey number: #1
Last year: I ranked Moore #20 and said he would be a starting safety if healthy. He made 6 tackles and 1 interception while starting one game and playing in three.
Rod Moore has seemingly been around Michigan forever, to the point where I remember watching his high school film during the COVID pandemic while sitting around the house and twiddling my thumbs. If one can be a hero of an Ohio State victory . . . and also a somewhat out-of-sight, out-of-mind entity, well, that's kind of Rod Moore.
After being named a Third Team All-Big Ten safety in 2023 (38 tackles, 2 interceptions), he seemed primed for a big 2024 when he got injured in the off-season. A potential NFL career was derailed - or perhaps just postponed - as Moore stuck around and rehabbed while missing the entire 2024 season. He then had some setbacks putting his 2025 season in jeopardy.
But he returned triumphantly with an interception in his second game of the 2025 season with an interception against Wisconsin! The next week, he started against USC, made 4 tackles, and . . . was not seen again. Another setback with the knee knocked him out for the remained of 2025.
So now we're entering 2026 and Moore supposedly feels better than he has at any point since 2023. He has been named a captain for a third year. Defensive coordinator Jay Hill says Moore is a shoo-in to start at safety, and he has been wearing the "green dot" much of the time as the primary communicator on the defensive side of the ball in practice. I believe he has now had three separate surgeries, but Michigan is looking at him as a focal point for 2026. There's probably an argument to be made that a defensive captain should be ranked higher than #13 in the countdown, and I could probably argue that someone who has missed most of the past two seasons could be ranked lower because he just hasn't produced much lately.
I think all Michigan fans are hoping that Moore can have a healthy season, even if he doesn't quite return to 2023 form. After so much frustration and so many setbacks, it would be nice if he can just play a full season of football and complete his mission. I'm hoping for an All-American type season, but if he stays healthy, I'm thinking he could once again be a Third Team or Honorable Mention all-conference player and that would be a nice way for him to ride off into the Big House sunset.
Prediction: Starting safety (if healthy)
Even if he's not 100% back physically, there's got to be a lot of value in having that kind of "on-field coach" presence, provided his safety play is at least good. I'm not sure who played the role as "QB of the defense" last year ... and perhaps nobody really stepped up into that role. To have Moore be the solid, stable, directing presence out there has to be a big plus.
ReplyDeleteYep anon, I fanatically hopeful, but think the downside of having a healthy Rod Moore is that the Defense will be lined up and ready. Everything else is gravy
DeleteMassive swing player (kinda like Donovan Jeter a few years back) -- if he hits (healthy all year, back to 2023 level) he's an all conference player, NFL draft pick, and savvy veteran leader who captains the entire defense. But if he unhealthy or even diminished relative to his former levels of play -- Michigan is suddenly hoping Jordan Young can handle a starter-level workload in the secondary against some loaded WR rooms at Indiana, Oregon, and OSU. It's a wide variance which is why I agree he fits in the top 15. Like Thunder said -- everyone is rooting for him.
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