Name: Derrick Moore
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #8
Last year: Moore was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 55 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks.
TTB Rating: 78 83
Moore was a long-time target of Michigan's last cycle, but he made Michigan fans sweat it out until the end. The program has a connection to St. Frances since former head coach Biff Poggi is on staff in Ann Arbor. Moore eventually signed with the Wolverines on National Signing Day and then enrolled in January after being named the Under Armour All-American Game's Player of the Game.
Moore should be able to contribute fairly early in his career at Michigan, but it's usually a struggle for true freshmen on the defensive line since strength and physical maturity are such big factors. I think he is a good enough prospect to start getting some snaps in 2022, while Michigan prepares for the potential departures of Mike Morris, Julius Welschof, and Taylor Upshaw, all of whom could leave after this upcoming season.
Prediction: Backup defensive end
I think Moore could end up much higher than this based on where the roster is at.
ReplyDeleteI was not expecting much out of Moore based on how his recruitment played out but I believe he got good marks in the spring. The big thing is that Michigan is really lacking natural pass rushers with Hutchinson and Ojabo gone. I thought there might be a transfer brought in but that hasn't happened. So where are we at:
Morris and Upshaw are decent players that will get a ton of snaps but they are not scaring any QBs off the edge.
Welschof is slides over from DT which tells you all you probably need to know about how threatening he is going to be as a edge rusher.
Harrell is my big hope but consensus opinion seems to be that he's closer to an every-down player than a speed rush terror.
McGregor seems closer to washing out than breaking out based on camp reports.
So...that leaves a lot of opportunity for a pass rusher to emerge. I don't know if Moore is that guy but I do know that while Michigan has not relied on true freshman on the DL to play every-down roles, they HAVE used a lot of their top freshman as situational pass rushers - especially from DT spot where they used Charlton, Paye, Hutchinson and others as interior pass rush threats and stunt rushers on obvious passing downs.
Would not surprise me to see Moore play this situational but very meaningful role in 2022. For that reason I'd put him above most of the other freshman on this list and some of the deep bench guys who will doubtlessly see action, but perhaps not on meaningful downs.