ESPN pauses hype on Dante Moore slotting in as UCLA's week 1 starter

Dante Moore would seem like a potentially natural choice to come in and fill the void at quarterback at UCLA left by Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Being one of the highest-rated QB recruits of the last 10 years will cause presumptions like that. With that perspective said, though, Paolo Uggetti says not so fast.

Uggetti shared that helping of honesty in a recent article at ESPN. He wrote that his lack of experience at the college level isn’t being considered enough. In the end, he believes Chip Kelly will have better options to select with more collegiate opportunities under their belt.

“For all his talent, Moore has no college experience,” noted Uggetti. “And the leap from high school ball to Saturdays is one not many quarterbacks make well.”

“Kelly is coming off his best season since he took the coaching job at UCLA,” Ugetti continued. “And while Moore’s ceiling is skyscraper high? There’s a line of thinking that could push Kelly toward a safer choice such as redshirt junior Ethan Garbers, who backed up DTR last season, or incoming Kent State transfer Collin Schlee in order to assure another solid, though not spectacular, season.”

Moore arrives in Los Angeles as a former five-star prospect in the 2023 class. He finished as the No. 2 QB and No. 3 recruit overall in his recruiting class per On3’s Industry Rankings.

Even so, the Detroit, Michigan product is going to have to work if he wants the starting job. It’s going to be a difficult spot to earn considering some of the names Ugetti listed. Garbers, a former four-star and Top-10 QB in 2020, has completed 65.6% of his 88 college pass attempts for 599 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. Schlee also joins the quarterback room after throwing for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior with the Golden Flashes.

Moore should by no means be discounted just because of his inexperience. Some may very well take the talent he has in a debate between the two. However, Ugetti’s point is a fair one as Moore has a lot to still prove and a long way to go before Kelly names him, or anyone for that matter, as UCLA’s starter.