Tag: R.J. Moten

U.S. Army/Adidas All-American Bowl Participants: Michigan

Donovan Peoples-Jones

For your viewing pleasure, here’s a comprehensive list of Michigan’s commitments who were selected for the All-American Bowl (formerly the U.S. Army All-American Bowl). The next All-American Bowl will be on January 7, 2023 in San Antonio, TX.

2023
Semaj Bridgeman, LB – Philadelphia, PA

2022
Zeke Berry, S – Concord, CA#
Darrius Clemons, WR – Portland, OR#
Jayden Denegal, QB – Apple Valley, CA
Tyler Morris, WR – La Grange Park, IL#

2021
Junior Colson, LB – Brentwood, TN**
Tommy Doman, Jr., P – Orchard Lake, MI**
J.J. McCarthy, QB – La Grange Park, IL**

2020
Darion Green-Warren – Harbor City, CA
A.J. Henning – Frankfort, IL
Jordan Morant, S – Oradell, NJ
R.J. Moten, S – Delran, NJ
Kalel Mullings, LB – Milton, MA

2019
Daxton Hill, S – Tulsa, OK
Chris Hinton, DT – Norcross, GA
Cornelius Johnson, WR – Greenwich, CT

Hit the jump for the rest of the U.S. Army Bowl participants to play for Michigan since 2001.

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2022 Season Countdown: #21 R.J. Moten

Name: R.J. Moten
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 223 lbs.
High school: Delran (NJ) Delran
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #6
Last year: I ranked Moten #52 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He started five games and made 34 tackles, 1 interception, and 4 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 68

Moten earned some practice buzz going into 2021, which gave me a feeling that he would come off a redshirt year and play quite a bit. That turned out to be the case, as he ended up starting for approximately a third of the season. With Michigan shifting Daxton Hill to the nickel spot, Moten started next to Brad Hawkins early in the season. But as the year went along, he started to lose some playing time to freshman Rod Moore.

Now that Hill and Hawkins are gone, Moten is likely locked in as a starting safety. Some combination of Moten, Moore, and Makari Paige should be on the field, depending on how the nickel position shakes out. Moten has added 10 pounds since last year and will probably take on Hawkins’s role, moving down in the box sometimes to take on tight ends and backs out of the backfield. Moten is a solid tackler with good range, and I think he will be a good player, though good safeties are often pretty forgettable.

Prediction: Starting safety; 65 tackles, 1 interception

What to Watch in the Spring Game

The spring game will be shown on the Big Ten Network on Saturday, April 2, at 12:00 p.m.

Here are a few things I’ll be curious to watch:

WHO TAKES OVER FOR HASSAN HASKINS?
Michigan needs to replace its leading rusher and toughest back in Hassan Haskins, a 6’1″, 220-pounder who is off to the NFL after rushing for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021. The Wolverines have two very talented running backs left, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, but neither one has proven to be a bruiser or short yardage back. They have home run speed but were listed at 200 and 202 pounds, respectively, last season. Redshirt freshman Tavierre Dunlap (6’0″, 222) might be able to step into the role as a big back, but does he have the instincts and power that Haskins showed? Michigan doesn’t need a leading rusher – that will be Corum or Edwards – but they need someone who can pound the ball inside.

Hit the jump for more.

2021 Michigan vs. Western Michigan Awards

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Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . A.J. Henning. Assuming Ronnie Bell is out for a while (hopefully not!), I think Henning is probably the guy who needs to see more touches. Michigan needs a guy who can run through tackles and make something happen after the catch. As much as I like Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, and other guys, I’m not sure that any receiver besides Henning can offer that ability after the catch. Henning had a 74-yard touchdown on an end around and caught 1 pass for 11 yards from J.J. McCarthy.

Hit the jump for more.

2021 Season Countdown: #52 R.J. Moten

Name: R.J. Moten
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 213 lbs.
High school: Delran (NJ) Delran
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #6
Last year: I ranked Moten #88 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 68

Moten was a do-everything player in high school who was recruited, like many others, to play the ballyhooed Viper position. I thought he was pretty raw, especially on defense, in high school, so I expected him to redshirt last year. He essentially did, playing in one game on special teams.

But then the off-season came, and the Viper position disappeared. Of all the freshman and redshirt freshman safeties in the class, the most buzz was coming out about Moten. I have heard more talk about Moten than the guy who actually saw the field a bunch in 2020, Makari Paige. It’s always tough to gauge practice rumors, and I don’t really trust them a ton here, other than to think Moten could be in line to be the fourth safety, behind Daxton Hill, Brad Hawkins, and Paige. There are still other guys to wonder about – Jordan Morant, Sammy Faustin, German Green, Quinten Johnson, etc. – and frankly there are too many on the roster to expect them all to stay too much longer. But Moten has a shot to start earning some playing time this season and stake his claim for a starting position when Hawkins and perhaps Hill are gone in 2022.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer