Dante Moore talks January visits, what's next in his recruitment

Detroit Martin Luther King quarterback Dante Moore got out for visits in January. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound four-star took visits to Miami, Michigan State, and Oregon.

The No. 18 prospect in the On3 Consensus is very familiar with the Spartans. Michigan State is an in-state school that he continues to praise.

“What makes Michigan State different is how they build on relationships every day,” Moore told On3. “They always check in, they ask about my family, they talk about life, and they show they care. They have history and tradition too.

“I like coach Jay Johnson and coach Mel Tucker a lot. Coach Johnson and I talk a lot and he is a good guy and a smart coach.”

East Lansing is a place Moore has visited numerous times. He was on the Miami as an 8th grader for a Hotbed event, but his visit to Coral Gables and Oregon in January was his first true visit to both as a top recruit.

“I got to visit Miami and meeting Mario Cristobal for the first time was great. “I was able to get the tour and do a photoshoot, but I got to spend a lot of time with coach Cristobal. He recruited me hard at Oregon, so it was great to finally meet him.

“He is a winner and he is all about turning the Miami program around. The visit definitely put Miami on my radar. Coach Josh Gattis going there from Miami was big too. We have a great relationship and he was texting me as soon as he got there.

“It was my first time ever to Oregon and I loved it. I knew the facilities were top-notch, but when I saw them in person, I had to gasp. It is a great Nike school with Phil Knight involved and it was impressive.

“Coach Dan Lanning came from Georgia, so he knows the parts Oregon needs to win a championship. He knows all about defense too. Then coach Kenny Dillingham is my guy. We were close when he was at FSU and he has been on me since he got to Oregon. He is young, he knows how to talk to recruits, and it was a great visit there.”

More visits to come and Moore would like to make a decision before his senior year

No visits are scheduled for March or in the spring yet, but Moore will be back out on the road when his schedule allows it. He is likely to make some of those visits official visits too.

He is aiming for a decision before his senior year.

“I don’t really have any idea when I will cut my list down or commit yet, but I am most likely to commit before the season,” Moore said. “I am still taking everything in, talking to a lot of schools every day, and trying to enjoy everything.

“Getting out to take more visits in the spring and see different places is important for sure. Arkansas, LSU, Texas Tech, UCLA, and some others are schools I am looking to visit.”

Moore is expected back at Michigan, Notre Dame, and Penn State too. All three schools are deep in this race.

“Michigan and Notre Dame have had some changes with coaches, but everything is still good with those schools. I was happy when I heard coach Jim Harbaugh was coming back. Coach Gattis going to Miami does impact me because I have a great relationship with him, but coach Harbaugh staying in big. I have started talking with coach Matt Weiss more now.”

Marcus Freeman took over for Kelly in South Bend and not a lot has changed with the Irish.

“I am close with BK, so he is gone, but I am talking a lot more with coach Freeman and I have always talked a lot with coach Tommy Rees. Me and coach Rees talk ball, life, and we have had a strong bond for over a year. Now, me and coach Freeman are chatting it up more and I think he can do a great job.”

Penn State likes to recruit the Detroit area and Moore recognizes that.

“Jaylen Reed played at King and he has told me about the coaches, how they treat the players, and how loyal the coaches are to the players. With Jaylen, Kobe King, and Kalen King there, I like what the guys from Detroit are doing. That really stands out about Penn State.

“I like coach Mike Yurcich and coach James Franklin a lot too. They have a great staff, Penn State always has playmakers, and it is a school I am still talking to a lot.”

When asked what’s most important as he moves forward with the process, Moore said, “Loyalty and relationships.” NFL production is something else he mentioned, but not quite on the same level as the first two factors.