7-foot C Malachi Moreno, 2025 Top-20 recruit, down to 8 schools

Malachi Moreno, On3’s No. 1 ranked center in the 2025 class, has narrowed his list of schools down to eight. Moving forward, the 7-foot rising senior out of Great Crossing (KY) will consider Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.

Out of his finalists, the four-star prospect has taken an official visit to Iowa and unofficial visits to Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Arkansas (old staff).

In addition to his final eight schools, he also received offers from Cincinnati, Xavier, Tennessee, Purdue, Missouri, Creighton, NC State, Virginia Tech, and others.

Moreno says he does not currently have any visits scheduled and also does not have a timeframe for a commitment.

According to On3’s Top-150 Player Rankings, Moreno is the No. 16 overall player in the class. He’s also the No. 1 player in the state of Kentucky.

What Moreno is looking for in a school

In a previous interview with On3, Malachi Moreno discussed what he was looking for in a college program.

“I’m going to be looking for a place where I can grow my faith. Grow as a player, grow as a person, and be in a family-type environment. I like versatility, but, at the end of the day, I just want to win. Making sure my team has more points on the board than the other team. Whatever I need to do to make that happen, that’s what I want to do.”

Scouting Report

“The first thing that pops with Malachi Moreno is his size. He is a legit 7-footer with good length and a projectable frame. The athletic fluidity is intriguing with Moreno. He runs the floor well and he is able to open his hips and change direction. Moreno is a good area rebounder. Will get in the paint and mix it up an attack the boards with two hands. He finishes around the basket with both hands and above the rim. He has a go-to move over his left shoulder and is comfortable getting to that on the block. Like to see him continue developing the counters. Defensively he is a solid rim protector and he walls up well, staying under control in the paint. He has touch and can stretch the floor, will need to make a couple of tweaks with his release that flatten things out, will help become a better free throw shooter as well. He has nice upside as a big man and he has continued to improve each time he’s stepped on the floor over the past 8-12 months. A lot that translates.” – On3’s Jamie Shaw