Michigan football in contact with UCLA QB transfer Dante Moore
The Michigan Wolverines have been in contact with UCLA quarterback transfer Dante Moore, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. The news comes less than 24 hours after he officially entered the portal with a potential opening in the U-M QB room.
Moore is currently the No. 2 ranked quarterback available, per the On3 Transfer Portal rankings.
“The former Five-Star Plus+ recruit and UCLA transfer quarterback officially entered the transfer portal on Monday night,” Nakos wrote on Tuesday afternoon. “Viewed as one of the top names available in the portal, he’s looking to find a home that can help develop him for a starting job, a source close to the quarterback tells On3.
“According to the source, Moore and Michigan have been in touch since he entered the portal around 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday night. A timetable for a decision has not been established, but the Wolverines would check off several boxes he’s looking for.”
A lot of eyebrows were raised in the area after the Detroit native elected to hit the transfer portal. At one point, several believed that Moore (6-3, 210), a five-star recruit in the 2023 class and No. 3 overall recruit, would wind up at Michigan before spurning them for Oregon, then flipping to UCLA. A lot of that is figured to be NIL-related, and one might assume that could be the case again as he searches for his next school. However, taking a deep breath and heading somewhere to be developed puts the former local high school star more in consideration than some originally thought.
Moore struggled after being thrown into the fire as a true freshman this season, throwing for 1,610 yards with 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while completing 53.5% of his throws. He was also sacked 25 times on the year. There were flashes of what he could be mixed with many rough patches.
Michigan has room for Moore in the quarterback room, especially if J.J. McCarthy elects to leave for the 2024 NFL Draft, which is not a slam dunk. Even if he does not, the Wolverines head into next season with no clear-cut successor or backup plan to McCarthy who could step in for 2024. It seems certain that the Wolverines will add an arm there at some point this offseason.
Moore figures to have a national recruitment ahead of him, and potentially a clearer-cut path to being a starter in 2024 elsewhere. We will continue to track his contact with the Wolverines, but quick interest is telling about the coaching staff’s desire for a potential rekindling.
