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Anthony Moten
DT - 6'4 292 - Ft Lauderdale, Fl (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Moten was a 3 or 4 star recruit depending on the recruiting service. ESPN ranked him as the 13th best DT Nationally and 182nd player overall.
Chose UM over most notably Alabama and UF. Was a one time verbal commit to the Gators.
Versatile player, who projects to play either inside or as a 3-4 DE. Runs a 5.1 40, which is pretty good for a man his size.
Is not necessarily going to blow you away as an athlete, but uses his hands well to shed blockers, has good moves to free himself as a pass rusher, and plays hard until the whistle.
Chances He Redshirts (1-10) -7
As part of this series we will evaluate if the given newcomer stands a chance to sit out his first season to retain eligibility.
Moten has really good size for a first year interior defensive player. But with Michael Wyche, Calvin Hertolou, Corey King and Olsen Pierre among others ahead of him at DT, he likely sits and gets bigger and stronger to make a push for PT next season. Of course if any/all of the above are ineffective he could be inserted earlier than expected. He could also see some time on early downs at DE, though I think long term he will be better suited to play on the inside.
Summary: I really like how hard this kid plays. At worst he is a very very good depth player down the line. At best he is a terrific starter. The really good news is that he is a very solid building block for UM's defense, in what is clearly a position of need.
More on Moten HERE
Stay tuned for more Freshman profiles as we count down to Louisville on Labor Day.