Derrick Moore details his decision to sign with Michigan

On3 imageby:Tim Verghese01/03/22

TimVerghese

2022 St. Frances Academy defensive end and Michigan signee Derrick Moore was all set to suit up for Oklahoma in late November. Then, on Nov. 28, Lincoln Riley stunned the college football world and left Oklahoma for USC, which left Moore searching for a new home just weeks ahead of National Signing Day.

Moore decommitted from Oklahoma just one day after Riley left for USC and Ole Miss and Michigan quickly reached out to the star defensive end. Moore made official visits to Oxford and Ann Arbor in consecutive weeks in December and felt the love from both schools, but ultimately felt more comfortable at Michigan.

With former St. Frances standouts Blake Corum, Nikhai Hill-Green on Michigan’s roster, and former St. Frances head coach Biff Poggi on the coaching staff, Ann Arbor felt like a home away from home.

“I felt comfortable being around those guys and being back with those guys and Michigan already feels like home,” he said. “The same stuff we do at St. Frances, Michigan does so I just felt I’d be comfortable there.”

Though he didn’t announce his commitment until National Signing Day, Moore gave head coach Jim Harbaugh a silent commitment while on his official visit the weekend prior to Signing Day.

There were questions about his size and fit in Michigan’s scheme but the Wolverines’ coaching staff sees the St. Frances product as the next great edge rusher to don the Maize and Blue. Moore, who was a standout in the Under Armour All-American practices and brought home MVP honors from the Under Armour All-American Game with a two-sack performance, agrees.

“I’m definitely trying to stay on the edge,” he said. “I’m more of a power rusher. I can switch it up, be a finesse [rusher]. SO I can pretty much to any and everything.”

Moore finished his senior season at St. Frances Academy with 55 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks, helping the Panthers to an 8-1 record while playing a national schedule that featured the likes of Florida powerhouses IMG Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas and California powerhouse De La Salle.

Moore is expected to enroll at Michigan in the coming weeks and is excited to reunite with his former St. Frances teammates and former head coach Biff Poggi in Ann Arbor. With his high school career officially in the rearview mirror, Moore has big goals for his time at Michigan.

“I’ll make sure that I leave graduating with a degree and hopefully be the best defensive end in the [NFL] Draft and in college football and hopefully be a first round pick,” he said.

Moore ranks as the No. 87th prospect nationally and the 12th-best defensive lineman in the country, per the On3 Consensus.

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