By the end of the 2007 high school football season, Morgan Moses was already a household name among college recruiters. At 6-foot-7 and 345 pounds, he makes quite a first impression.
While Moses' size makes him difficult to forget, his ability at Meadowbrook High in Richmond also has made an impact. Many analysts consider him the nation's top offensive tackle prospect and the most sought-after talent in the state. With a reputation as a run-blocking beast already established, what more could he prove at college camps this summer?
Moses, a rising senior who said he has 27 scholarship offers, isn't really interested in finding out. You won't find him on the summer camp circuit.
"I'm kind of staying away from them a little bit," said Moses, who added the only camp he'll be attending will be Meadowbrook's team camp. "I just don't really have the time for them."
Take that, coaches Groh, Beamer, Friedgen, Bowden, Saban, Stewart, Fulmer, Richt, Meyer, et al. All of you have made offers to Moses — Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Clemson, Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, respectively — but you're going to have to go to Richmond to see him or hope he honors you with an autumn visit to your campus.
With many other blue-chippers shuttling themselves from campus to campus during the summer, staying near home can be risky. But given the expenses, it's tough to fault Moses.
Think about it.
Again … he's 6-7 and 345 pounds. He can't even fit in the front seat of those economical hybrids. So, were he attending these camps, he'd probably be doing it in an SUV.
Uhhh, have you checked gas prices lately? Just to do the two-hour roundtrip from Richmond to Charlottesville in an average SUV these days takes $30 to $40 in gas. Six hours roundtrip from Richmond to Blacksburg takes you to about $120 or more in an SUV. If you're talking about multiple out-of-state trips, you're getting into $200-plus per trip territory. That's not even including lodging and food.
Also, let's be honest. If you're the top offensive tackle in the nation, what more do you have to prove? The next place Moses will be challenged on the football field likely will be somewhere in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East or Southeastern Conference.
As for where he'll play college ball, Moses is mum. He doesn't have a list of favorites.
Bucking the early commitment trend, Moses said he doesn't plan to announce his choice until signing day, Feb. 4. He wants to make all five of his NCAA-allotted campus visits before he makes a decision.
Offensive coordinator Mike Groh is recruiting Moses for Virginia, while recruiting coordinator Jim Cavanaugh is responsible for going after him for Virginia Tech. How does Moses feel about the two state schools? He's not telling. Right now, his next goal is scheduling his first crack at the SAT.
"I'm still just wide open," said Moses, who already was 6-2 and nearing 300 pounds by the time he had reached the seventh grade. "I'm just a college football fan. I'm trying to stay humble. Just like it all came to me, it can be taken away. I'm trying to take it all in and do what I have to do before college."
