The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1212135
MARCH 2020 THE WOLVERINE 65 2020 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE STATISTICS Year Tackles TFL Int. 2019 61 2 2 2018 44 1 5 HONORS • Played in the All-American Bowl and was the East squad's second-leading tackler, with 3.5 takedowns. • Led his team (8-2) to its first sectional championship since 1992 in 2019. RECRUITMENT • Committed on July 27, 2019. • Also had offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, Wisconsin and others. DID YOU KNOW? • Finished his prep career with 3,500 all-purpose yards, 41 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. • At The Opening Regional, ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash and a 4.31-second shuttle run, and put up a 40.90-inch vertical jump. • A two-time first-team All-South Jer- sey pick by The Philadelphia Inquirer on the baseball diamond. • As a junior, he hit .508 with seven doubles, three triples, six home runs, 25 RBI, 28 runs scored and 13 stolen bases in 23 games, while earning a 5-1 mark with a 1.75 ERA and 35 strikeouts. • His dad, Ron, played in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1987-91, after playing college football at Florida. THEY SAID IT • Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic recruit- ing analyst Adam Friedman: "Moten shows a ton of athleticism on film and could be a weapon on both sides of the ball at Michigan. It appears Michi- gan has plans for him on the defensive side of the ball, primarily at safety, and he has the skill set to be very success- ful at that position. His speed, aggres- siveness and ball skills should make him a major weapon." BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Defensive back R.J. Moten was intrigued right away when he was first contacted by U-M running backs coach Jay Harbaugh. "The contact we have between me and Coach Jay Harbaugh is very tight," Moten said. "He would check up on me even without the offer, at first. And then I got the offer and took a visit out there. Before we were about to go out there, my dad was like, 'This is Michigan. This is going to be one of the schools that is going to be in your top five.' "As soon as I got onto the campus, I was welcomed with open arms by the whole coaching staff. Just the pro- gram itself, and the way that they hold themselves accountable as a team, it's just something that really caught my eye." Moten, like several other U-M 2020 signees, showcases versatility in his game. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has already talked to Moten about the possibility of including him in offen- sive packages, while being a primar- ily defensive player. "I'll do what's best for the team," Moten said. "I'm going to do what I have to do, and give 110 percent every practice, each and every game, to help the team come out with the 'W.'" His versatility stretches beyond just what he can do on the football field. Moten is a standout baseball player in high school, and will give playing two sports at the collegiate level a shot. "Baseball and football basically come together for me," Moten said. "I've been doing them my whole life, so it kind of feels weird not being able to do one or the other sport. I'm going to give it a try, and obviously I'm there on a football scholarship, so I'm going to do what I can. "A lot of people are telling me it's hard, but I'm always down for a challenge." His athletic skill set stands out on both the gridiron and the baseball diamond. "We're really excited about his ath- leticism," U-M head baseball coach Erik Bakich said of Moten. Moten said he believes playing baseball actually helps his football abilities. "It helps me be able to use my hips more," Moten said. "I play center field, so my hips are always moving, and my angles are always changing. Footwork is still there, and my hand- eye coordination is always a plus. That's really what comes with it." ❑ Everything About U-M Appealed To R.J. Moten, Including The Chance To Play Two Sports Moten, who earned an invitation to and played in the 2020 All-American Bowl, will also play baseball at Michigan. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND 2020 Projection Moten is a dynamic athlete that could be used all over the field. He will start on the defensive side of the ball at safety or corner, but has the ability to play on offense as well. He will compete to be a contributor as a freshman, and could see the field in backup duty and/or on spe- cial teams right away. R.J. MOTEN DEFENSIVE BACK 6-0 • 200 DELRAN HIGH SCHOOL DELRAN, N.J. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — 28* 15 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 178 16^ 5 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 246 16* 7 * Ranked as an athlete; ^ ranked as a safety