Chip Kelly got the prize recruit he has been looking for during his UCLA tenure as five-star quarterback Dante Moore makes it official with UCLA.
Moore had been committed to Oregon since July. But a turn of events in Eugene over the last couple of weeks made him an available recruit again. At the end of November, Oregon’s offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham left to take the head coaching job at Arizona State. Dillingham had been the primary recruiter for Moore. Then this last weekend Oregon starting quarterback Bo Nix announced he was coming back for one more year with the Ducks. By Monday afternoon, Moore was announcing he had changed his mind and was going to UCLA.
The Contenders
At 6-2, 210 pounds out of Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, MI, Moore is one of the most coveted quarterbacks in this recruiting class in the country. He had 40 offers through his recruiting process, including from some of the most prominent blue blood programs in the country. He had offers from the likes of Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, and his home-state Michigan Wolverines.
To put a little more sting in Michigan not getting Moore, he has been trained by former Wolverine quarterback Devin Gardner.
The High School Years
Moore was the starting quarterback at King from his freshman year. He finished 40-11 with two state championships. He threw for just under 10,000 yards during his time with 135 touchdowns against 20 interceptions.
Moore has a quick release, and good touch when throwing downfield. Game films also show he works through his progressions at a more advanced level than your typical high school quarterback.
Where He Fits In
The UCLA quarterback room is an interesting dynamic now. Dorian Thompson-Robinson has had a firm hold on the position for the last three years. During that time, the Bruins have been stockpiling reserves and future quarterbacks. Transfer Ethan Garbers was the #2 in 2022. He would be the presumed starter next season, but nothing should be assumed with a quarterback of this talent coming in.
There is also Chase Griffin and redshirt Justyn Martin, the prize quarterback recruit in the 2022 class from Inglewood. And just days before Moore’s commitment, UCLA got transfer Collin Schlee from Kent State. With players having easy access to the transfer system, it would only be surprising if every one of them stayed. The current transfer portal window is open until January 18th. There is another two-week window roughly at the end of Spring camp.
Getting Moore bumped UCLA’s recruiting class ranking from the low 30’s to mid 20’s.
Main Image courtesy Bleacher Report
