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Position: MLB
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 250
Hometown: Norfolk, Va
High School: Norfolk Christian
Year: Sophomore
Twitter: @kwontie27
Kwontie Moore was rated as a 4 star recruit by all the major recruiting services. ESPN ranked him as the #7 ILB in the nation, Rivals ranked him as the #3 ILB and Scout ranked him the #12 ILB. Moore likely could've chosen to attend any school in the country, and he had double-digit written offers, including from the likes of Oregon, Auburn and Virginia Tech. He was considered the 2nd ranked prospect in the Hoos 2012 class, behind DE Eli Harold.
At 250 pounds, Moore runs in the 4.8 range, which is good but far from elite. What Moore does possess is elite strength and overall athleticism. As an ILB, Moore's strength is run stopping. He can fill a gap and bring a ball carrier down. Despite his lack of top-end speed, Moore has the ability to be a sideline to sideline player because of his agility and quickness. He is very good at moving in traffic and getting to the ball. He can beat a blocker to a spot, or he can blow up a blocker.
Moore saw action in all 12 games last season, picking up 4 tackles. Most of his playing time was on special teams, but he did see limited action on defense, often in garbage time. He is listed as the backup MLB behind Henry Coley for the upcoming season, and that is unlikely to change. For the time being, Moore will continue to see extensive time on special teams and will spell Coley from time to time.
Moore has shown an ability to rush the passer from the interior of the defense, something that will play well in coach Tenuta's defense. He also appears to have the ability to play in zone coverage, although he has limited experience in man coverage. In general, however, his play against the pass will need to be polished. This is not uncommon for HS LBs.
Coley is a junior, so Moore will likely remain behind him for the next two years. Moore, however, could be too good to keep off the field, in which case Coley could slide over to the strong-side (a position he played before) with Moore stepping into the middle. This would, of course, depend on the performance of Demeitre Brim or whoever else is playing on the strong-side. It is also possible that Moore outplays Coley and surpasses him on the depth chart. Regardless, the competition at the position can only benefit the team.