SI

Dante Moore Named SI's 2022 Elite 11 Finals MVP

Detroit (Mich.) King quarterback was SI's top performer despite loaded quarterback competition field.

John Garcia Jr.

REDONDO BEACH, Calif.—He was the top performer on Day 1, tied for the pro day script scoring crown on Day 2 and spun it among the best during the 7-on-7 portion of the event to close out the 2022 Elite 11 Finals. 

Dante Moore, also the top uncommitted quarterback nationally, virtually ran away with SI's MVP award this week while competing among the nation's best in Los Angeles. 

"It's a great group of talented guys, 11 different states, while having the chance to compete and show your skills and building bonds with them," Moore said. "We had a great time out here, 7-on-7, rail shot competition, everything you can think of with the Elite 11. 

"I'm blessed to be where I am."

The Detroit (Mich.) King High School star, who is fresh off a state championship at the school, showed a bit of everything in the Elite 11 Finals run. The first workout was about variety and consistency, and Moore proved sharp and accurate to the intermediate levels, not to mention competitive in being the only high school QB to hit the field goal post from 50 yards out after a long day's work. 

It was on that night he felt most confident he would take home the Elite 11 crown. 

"First time coming in, a lot of the challenges and routes on air, I think I did pretty solid," Moore said. "I threw a great ball on the rail shot, so it was probably my most impressive day."

The pro day was another dominant effort, working through the 20 throws with a great rhythm as well as flash on high-level throws down the field both in the pocket and while on the move. In the three-year history of SI grading the Elite 11 pro day workouts, Moore put together the second most "money" throws recorded among the 60 passers, completing 15 of 20 on time and accurately as one could expect. Only class of 2022 MVP and current Clemson freshman Cade Klubnik (16) connected on more. 

The final day of work was focused on another arena in which Moore has been dominant this offseason, 7-on-7. Just two footballs he fired didn't end with a completion or a score. He also held his own among competitors during Thursday's accuracy gauntlet challenge, where he finished 11th while working with stationary targets at various depths and difficulties. Moore looked his best in this setting when asked to move outside of the pocket and push the ball from intermediate levels.

Moore came into the event with perhaps the most expectation and eyeballs on his status both on and off the field. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is the recruiting industry's highest-ranked uncommitted quarterback recruit, with a bevy of programs theoretically still in the mix for his services including longtime favorite Notre Dame and, more recently, Oregon, LSU and Texas A&M. 

With national names like Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava electing not to attend the finals, many pegged Moore as the on-field favorite. He backed it up with a consistent showing in the various settings, making the run for his college commitment that much more critical for various college programs.  

The NCAA is in a dead period, when programs cannot host recruits, running through the bulk of the month of July. It means Moore doesn't have a single recruiting trip planned going forward, making many suggest a verbal commitment could be under consideration in the coming weeks. 

"Notre Dame, LSU, Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan are probably the main schools that are recruiting me," Moore said. "So they're all in it."

Moore, who has only taken official visits to Oregon and LSU, says there is no timetable for him to make a verbal commitment. 

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John Garcia Jr.
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