Moore looks to lead the offense
Union’s Jacob Moore has all of the tools that coaches look for in an offensive lineman.
He’s big at 6-foot-1 and 275 pounds. He’s strong with combined maxes of 1,725 pounds in the weight room. He’s even experienced as he returns as a fourth-year starter for the Yellowjackets.
Moore returns for his senior season to anchor the offensive line for the Yellowjackets. Moore has impressed first-year coach Jordan Wren in his short time at Union.
“He’s a very strong a physical young man and he can really run for a kid his size,” Wren said. “If he was three inches taller, they would be beating the door down. With him being one of the two seniors, he is going to have to be one of those guys who is a vocal leader. I don’t think we could ask for a better group of seniors up front with him and Alex Sharp. They are both great and do a great job of keeping each other accountable. Jacob is going to be that real vocal guy.”
Last year, Moore was all over the offensive front on the Yellowjackets, but Wren wants him to stay put this season.
“I played everywhere but center last year,” Moore said. “They moved me around a good bit last year. At the beginning of the year, I played a lot of guard and they eventually moved me to tackle. I played more tackle than guard but switched around a lot. Some people would get tired and we would rotate some guys. If somebody got hurt, they would move me around. We did an offset tackle and played a lot of tight end in that set.”
As far as coaching, Wren knows that Moore is somebody he can push on and off the field.
“I have known Jacob Moore since he was a little kid and his parents have given me all rights to do what I need to do to get that rascal to play full speed,” Wren said. “I know he has a little deal with asthma but they tell me to not let it be an excuse. That’s the thing that when he gets a little tired, he has a tendency to take plays off and that’s the thing that I have told him. With him being a senior and a leader up front, it’s going to have to be full speed every play. If he does it, everybody else is going to do it and that’s something we have talked about in the last couple of weeks.”
Moore realizes he has to be more of a leader this year for the Yellowjackets, who were 6-5 last year and lost in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs to Taylorsville.
“I see my role as being a leader on the line and a difference maker,” Moore said. “I know from past experience, later in the games you get tired and you may not want to finish blocks or go hard. You can’t do that; you have to go whistle to whistle.”
The big question for Moore right now is college. While Moore is considered one of the strongest players in the state of Mississippi, he stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 275 pounds, which puts him as an undersized college lineman.
“I think it depends on what somebody is looking for on the college level,” Wren said. “If he gets lucky and that big offer, it will probably be at center. But I think guard is a good spot for him. Because whoever he is doubling with, there is no doubt that you are going to get vertical movement because of his size and speed and explosiveness.”
Right now, Moore has interest from several of the junior colleges including East Central and has interest from Central Arkansas.
“I think Jacob has Division I potential, I just don’t know what level,” Wren said. “I don’t think he is a power 5 guy, but there are places he could play. If he had a high ACT, he could be somebody that they take a chance on. It all just depends on what they are looking for. I think that’s up in the air with him. I have talked with Coach Boykin at Central Arkansas and they really like him. I don’t think they would disappointed, whoever gets him.”
Wren said he could also see Moore playing center as well.
“I think being able to play center makes him more recruitable,” Wren said. “And he can long snap as well and that makes it better for him as well. All of those things add up. The last I saw, he runs a 5.0 or a touch of a 4.9. The kid can run, it just boils down to what a college needs and has on the board. I think with his height, some things could fall in his favor as far as a Power 5 offer. Just like anything in life, it just takes the right opportunity.”
Moore said he doesn’t have an official offer in football yet but has one in powerlifting. Moore is the two-time defending Class 2A champion in the 275-pound weight class and has helped the Yellowjackets to three straight state championships before the season was called last year. Before school was let out in March, Moore said he maxed out with 705 in squat, 695 in deadlift and 325 in bench.
“I have a couple of schools looking at me,” Moore said. “ East Central called the other day and said they were about to offer me. My only official offer is from Blue Mountain College in powerlifting. I hope to be getting more offers. It really depends on the offer but out of what I have right now, I would prefer football. Powerlifting will be there but football won’t be there forever. I would like to play football as long as I can.”
THE ELITE 11 CLASS OF 2020
This is the tenth part of an 11-part series highlighting the top football players in the Newton County Appeal coverage area for the upcoming season. Local coaches nominated the players, while the Elite 11 preseason football team is selected solely by Newton County Appeal sports editor Robbie Robertson. The players are being revealed one at a time, in no particular order.
