UCLA Football Making Late Push For Oregon-Committed QB Dante Moore
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A few months after striking out with one of their biggest targets of the cycle, the Bruins are winding up to take another swing at him.
UCLA football is hosting quarterback Dante Moore for an official visit this weekend, despite the Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School (MI) product still being committed to Oregon. Moore picked the Ducks over Miami (FL), Texas A&M, Michigan State and others back on July 8, and he has not wavered from his decision since.
The Bruins offered Moore on Jan. 22, and were hardly ever considered a true threat for his commitment in the ensuing months. With a lot of talk building around UCLA's openness to name, image and likeness infrastructure, though, the blue and gold appear ready to make a late push for Moore's services.
Oregon lost offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham to Arizona State on Nov. 27, with the Sun Devils hiring him to be their next head coach. Additionally, if quarterback Bo Nix returns to Eugene next season, the Ducks' starting job likely wouldn't open up until 2024.
UCLA, meanwhile, has to replace fifth-year starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson in 2023, with the veteran finally exhausting his collegiate eligibility this season. Former Washington transfer Ethan Garbers and former Inglewood High School (CA) four-star Justyn Martin are expected to compete for the top spot on the depth chart next year.
247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong was the first to report the Bruins' newfound interest in Moore.
Moore is a five-star prospect, according to 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN. The three top recruiting databases have him pegged as a consensus top-five player in the nation and top-three player at his position.
In the 247Sports Composite, Moore is the No. 1 ranked player in Michigan, the No. 5 quarterback in the country and the No. 11 overall prospect in his class.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound signal-caller has earned 40 Division I offers, the first of which came from Michigan and coach Jim Harbaugh when he was still in seventh grade.
Moore led King to a second consecutive Michigan Division III state championship on Nov. 27 at Ford Field. Moore starred at the Elite 11 Finals camp over the summer, earning MVP honors from Sports Illustrated, and he was selected to appear at the Adidas All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl this winter.
UCLA's 2023 recruiting class currently ranks No. 51 in the country and No. 8 in the Pac-12 with 12 commits at the moment. The only quarterback in line to join the Bruins next season is Miramonte (CA) three-star Luke Duncan, who is the No. 31 quarterback in the country.
Since coach Chip Kelly arrived in Nov. 2017, UCLA has yet to reel in a five-star recruit – at quarterback or any other position. Kelly and quarterbacks coach Ryan Gunderson can break that streak by flipping Moore, who would immediately become the highest-rated offensive player ever to commit to the Bruins.
The early signing period is slated open Dec. 21 and last until Dec. 23, giving a potential time frame for Moore to lock in his decision.
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