Countdown to Canes Football: No. 20 Ahmad Moten
Will the Miami Hurricanes make a move with their interior defensive line play this fall?
As part of that answer, one way or the other, the following Miami defensive tackle will be a part of that equation. The Countdown to Canes Football series introduces #20 today. Here were the players that led up until this point before diving into the next player.
#25 - Cam McCormick
#24 - Javion Cohen
#23 - Jacolby George
#22 - Rueben Bain, Jr.
#21 - Jalen Rivers
Ahmad Moten
Size: 6-foot-3, 325 pounds
Class: Redshirt Freshman
Position: Defensive Tackle
Background and Recruitment
Moten played for Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons. Having been at a top program with a big-time schedule each season, he was recruited by a lot of college football programs.
Moten took official visits to Iowa State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina and finally Miami. He announced his decision to be a Cane on Feb. 2, 2022, National Signing Day.
He redshirted this past season and has caught the attention of many people around the Miami program.
Being a Run Stopper
In 2022, four out of the last six opponents were highly successful with running the football on the Canes. The following numbers were staggering, in fact.
Duke: 42 attempts, 200 yards, 4.8 average, and 4 touchdowns
Florida State: 49 attempts, 229 yards, 4.7 yards, and 3 touchdowns
Clemson: 47 attempts: 201 yards, 4.3 average, and 3 touchdowns
Pittsburgh: 35 attempts, 248 yards, 7.1 average, and 3 touchdowns
One of the reasons that the Hurricanes struggled to slow down rushing attacks was a lack of numbers. Not defensive tackles, mind you, but natural size at defensive tackle and the sheer number of healthy, and big, defensive tackles.
Those 280-plus-pound players do not grow on trees. Miami has serious athleticism along the interior returning with Jared Harrison-Hunte and Leonard Taylor III. Harrison Hunte has been listed at 285 and Taylor has been in the 300-pound range. That’s good.
Now what about the depth when it comes to the true big bodies? There will be other players competing for playing time like Branson Deen (Purdue Transfer Portal addition), and Jacob Lichtenstein (a second-year Transfer Portal addition from Southern California). Neither is a true power player that’s going to consistently overwhelm an opponent with size though.
That’s why Moten could have been listed even higher on the list than he is. Miami absolutely must be able to slow down opposing teams from running the ball, especially on first and ten.
Coming off the bench at 325 pounds, Moten will be counted on to rotate in and make a difference. If he plays well enough, who knows? Perhaps he even works himself into starter-type minutes or even wins a starting role.
The way he played during the backend of spring ball gave hope that he’s ready to take that next step towards being a dominant player. He showcased a great first step and has natural power. If he keeps working his hands well and counters his moves from play-to-play, Moten could be a true force not only in the run game, but as an interior pass rusher. That’s the next point.
Can Moten Improve the Pass Rush?
There’s no answer for a team that can consistently push the pocket back into the quarterback’s face. Moten showed he could do that during spring practice. He will most definitely be looked upon to help pressure the opposing signal caller.
Taylor was improving as an interior pass rusher last season as a sophomore. Now imagine if Taylor could improve from 3 sacks to say 5 or 6, and Moten joined him in that range.
Miami’s edge rushers have been and will continue to be big-time at getting to the quarterback. They would actually improve even more when opposing teams have to center their attention towards the defensive tackles more often.
As a group, Miami sacked the quarterback 37 times last season, good for No. 19 in the country. There’s a legit shot to go over 40 this year if Moten and/or other players step up along the interior.
Moten's 2023 Projection
As just a redshirt freshman, everyone still needs to wait and see what the big fella can do in live action. That's the bottom line. Cannot teach Moten’s size or athleticism, however.
That’s why, combined with how he performed during spring practice, expectations should be seeing this young man be a consistent performer within the defensive tackle rotation. He does not need to necessarily lead the interior defensive linemen in sacks, but rather be a contributor that can be counted on during each contest. Again, especially with helping stop the run on first down and 10.
Moten will be an important part of the 2023 Miami defense.
2024 Recruiting Rankings: Florida's Top 25 Prospects
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