A massive recruiting weekend for UVa
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: January 18, 2009
Wahoo Nation has its collective eyes turned today toward major recruiting target Morgan Moses, hoping the big offensive tackle can eventually lead Virginia football to the promised land.
Moses, who has starred for Richmond?s Meadowbrook High, is finishing up his official visit to UVa today, along with another big-time offensive tackle, Nolan MacMillan of Princeton, N.J. Of the 21 players on official visits this weekend, those are the only two that have not already committed to the Cavaliers.
Should UVa land both of the big tackles, combined with the other offensive line commitments, Virginia could field one of the nation?s finest offensive lines in the nation in the coming years.
Moses parts the D-line
Moses is an imposing physical specimen at 6-foot-7, 347 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 5.2 seconds. Rivals.com rates him as the best run blocker in the country and one of the top five strongest offensive line prospects nationally.
Multiple sources in the recruiting world told us that Moses is very unusual in that while he?s a monster-sized player, he has very good skills. Often there?s a tradeoff with a player that size because he may not have good speed, athletic skill or mobility.
Not Moses. He has the total package, and that?s why most every college program has been in pursuit.
That?s why Virginia must feel it has a good chance of landing the homegrown star. UVa has become ?Offensive Line U,? in recent years, producing three Jacobs Blocking Trophy winners, All-Americans and first-round draft choices such as Elton Brown (Arizona Cardinals), D?Brickashaw Ferguson (New York Jets), Branden Albert (Kansas City Chiefs) and Eugene Monroe (a projected early first-round choice in April). Another former Wahoo, fifth-round pick Brad Butler, has developed into a starter for the Buffalo Bills.
?In the running game, who are you going to put in front of Moses that can stand up to him?? asked one recruiter.
He?s a beast, bigger than any of the aforementioned Wahoos ? all making or about to make major bucks at the pro level.
The right scheme?
With the spread offense coming to Virginia, Moses could flourish in the new zone blocking scheme, which will create a lot of one-on-one matchups for him.
Described as a humble, good kid, Moses has visited North Carolina and West Virginia. He is still considering Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech, along with the Cavaliers.
However, if he?s looking to play close to home where his family has its shortest commute, then Charlottesville could be his future home.