Changing Sides, Former Michigan Linebacker Commits to UW

Hayden Moore will have four seasons of eligibility remaining with the Huskies.

Hayden Moore heads to the field with Michigan to face Washington in the CFP championship game. / Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

Well, the University of Washington football team will have one player on the roster who can hold up a College Football Playoff national championship ring from Houston.

Changing title-game sides, former Michigan linebacker Hayden Moore revealed on Wednesday he has committed to the Huskies, becoming coach Jedd Fisch's 10th transfer portal pick-up over the past three weeks.

The 6-foot-2, 226-pound Moore was a freshman who was in a maize and blue uniform on the night of Jan. 8 at NRG Stadium -- and even had his photo taken by USA TODAY as he walked from the locker room to the field -- but he didn't enter the game against the Huskies that night, won by Michigan 34-13.

Moore, who was a 3-star recruit from Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado, should be plenty rested and eager to get started when he comes to Montlake for fall camp after redshirting and not playing in any games during his first and only season at Michigan.

So what are the Huskies getting in this Rocky Mountain marauder?

Moore initially committed to Nebraska in June of 2022, but flipped to Michigan after Cornhuskers coach Scott Frost was fired during the season. Texas A&M was in the mix late for his services, as well, among his 24 offers.

At Regis Jesuit, he built a reputation for aggressive play by piling up 197 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble as a senior for a 7-5 Raiders team.

A talented enough athlete, Moore also received baseball scholarship offers from Washington State and Louisiana Tech as a pitcher, according to 247Sports.

Moore will join a fairly veteran UW linebacker corps that has four seniors bunched at the top of the depth chart in Carson Bruener, Alphonzo Tuputala, Bryun Parham and Drew Fowler. All but Fowler have been all-conference honorable-mention selections in either the Pac-12 or Mountain West.

He also is the second consecutive Big Ten player to commit to the UW, joining Ohio State offensive guard Enokk Vimahi. The Huskies now have pledges from players from Michigan, Ohio State, Miami, Oklahoma, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Portland State.

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