Name: Rod Moore
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 198 lbs.
High school: Clayton (OH) Northmont
Position: Safety
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Moore #16 and said he would start at safety (LINK). He made 71 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 72
By this point Michigan fans are very familiar with the name Rod Moore, but I feel like he did not garner quite enough attention last season. Maybe it's because he was in his first year as a starter, or maybe it's because he was not a highly valued recruit. Whatever the reason, he turned in a great season for the Wolverines, notching 71 tackles and 4 interceptions. In fact, that season total of 4 interceptions is the highest season total for a Michigan safety since Dewayne Patmon in 1998. Moore was solid on the back end and did a great job of keeping things in front of him, rarely getting beaten for big plays.
Moore is one of the best safeties in recent Michigan history, both in coverage and when coming downhill to make tackles. He has good speed and is fairly physical, but he just seems to be in the right place at the right time, which is probably more important than anything when playing the middle of the field. He's supposedly a film junkie and has aspirations of playing in the NFL . . . in 2024. There has been some talk that his junior year of 2023 might be his last in the college ranks. I would expect him to be an all-conference player this season, backed up by Keon Sabb and/or Zeke Berry, both second-year players, and fifth year senior Quinten Johnson.
Prediction: Starting safety; 70 tackles, 2 interceptions
Moore is a gift from the football god's. I'll go back to my comment on last year's countdown:
ReplyDelete"For a true freshman to start at safety against OSU... I wonder when the last time that happened was. Precocious is the right word. And for him to pass up two older proven starters (Moten and Paige) to do it - means it was earned by merit, not by default. Zak Zinter is the offensive equivalent.
Now Moore's the top safety on the team and is the best option at 3 positions at least. As a sophomore! Hot damn. This kids a star, even if some of us might hope that he is a "boring" safety."
I would put Moore top three. It's really nice to have this kid come out of seemingly nowhere and put in a career of a five star
ReplyDeleteNothing seemingly about it. Ohio IS nowhere.
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