by Bill Seals
One of top overall prospects in Illinois for the 2020 class says Iowa State has made him a priority and he’s considering an unofficial visit to Ames for early next month.
Plainfield North junior Marcellus Moore is well known for his exploits on the track, but he’s emerged as a legitimate Power-5 athlete on the football field as well. He said the Cyclones have laid out a plan for how he could help them beginning in 2020.
“The coaches have been really active in my recruiting since they offered me,” said the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Moore. “They’ve been to my school a couple times in the winter and once this spring. They’re making me a priority recruit. I need to get on campus here soon, so I’m trying to balance that with my track schedule. I’m shooting for early June for when I want to visit.
“It’s been awesome hearing from them. They’ve already said I’m a guy they need to have in this class. They’ve shown me how I fit in their offense. They don’t have any smaller backs right now and can see me playing in the backfield and a little bit of slot, running jet sweeps and stuff. They want a scat back. That’s really cool to me.”
It’s also been fortuitous for ISU’s recruiting efforts that former running back David Montgomery was selected in the NFL Draft by the Bears, as Moore has grown up in the Chicagoland area.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “I’ve watched a lot of David Montgomery and he’s an excellent back. It was cool that (Chicago) got to pick him and that Iowa State has been recruiting me. Iowa State is really building up a good program and it’s resembling a pro team, so the NFL teams are now looking at guys from Iowa State.”
In addition to I-State, Moore has P5 offers from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Purdue and Vanderbilt.
The athlete says he is eyeing a decision for around the time his senior season begins. Moore says he’s hearing the most from ISU, Illinois, Kentucky, Purdue, Michigan and Ole Miss.
Moore is a three-star recruit with a 5.6 Rivals rating and is considered the seventh overall prospect in Illinois and 50th athlete nationally in the 2020 class.
“I want to start narrowing down schools by the beginning of summer and make a decision by the end of the summer or early fall. I’ve already kind of told some schools they’re out of the mix, but at the same time I haven’t come out with a list yet.”
Moore says the connection he has with the coaching staff in Ames should keep the Cyclones in the running once he does settle on a list of favorites.
“I’ve been building a relationship with them and they’ve been straight up with me throughout the process,” he said. “They check on me all the time and show a lot of love. They show how much they appreciate me and have made me a priority recruit.”
One of top overall prospects in Illinois for the 2020 class says Iowa State has made him a priority and he’s considering an unofficial visit to Ames for early next month.
Plainfield North junior Marcellus Moore is well known for his exploits on the track, but he’s emerged as a legitimate Power-5 athlete on the football field as well. He said the Cyclones have laid out a plan for how he could help them beginning in 2020.
“The coaches have been really active in my recruiting since they offered me,” said the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Moore. “They’ve been to my school a couple times in the winter and once this spring. They’re making me a priority recruit. I need to get on campus here soon, so I’m trying to balance that with my track schedule. I’m shooting for early June for when I want to visit.
“It’s been awesome hearing from them. They’ve already said I’m a guy they need to have in this class. They’ve shown me how I fit in their offense. They don’t have any smaller backs right now and can see me playing in the backfield and a little bit of slot, running jet sweeps and stuff. They want a scat back. That’s really cool to me.”
It’s also been fortuitous for ISU’s recruiting efforts that former running back David Montgomery was selected in the NFL Draft by the Bears, as Moore has grown up in the Chicagoland area.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “I’ve watched a lot of David Montgomery and he’s an excellent back. It was cool that (Chicago) got to pick him and that Iowa State has been recruiting me. Iowa State is really building up a good program and it’s resembling a pro team, so the NFL teams are now looking at guys from Iowa State.”
In addition to I-State, Moore has P5 offers from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Purdue and Vanderbilt.
The athlete says he is eyeing a decision for around the time his senior season begins. Moore says he’s hearing the most from ISU, Illinois, Kentucky, Purdue, Michigan and Ole Miss.
Moore is a three-star recruit with a 5.6 Rivals rating and is considered the seventh overall prospect in Illinois and 50th athlete nationally in the 2020 class.
“I want to start narrowing down schools by the beginning of summer and make a decision by the end of the summer or early fall. I’ve already kind of told some schools they’re out of the mix, but at the same time I haven’t come out with a list yet.”
Moore says the connection he has with the coaching staff in Ames should keep the Cyclones in the running once he does settle on a list of favorites.
“I’ve been building a relationship with them and they’ve been straight up with me throughout the process,” he said. “They check on me all the time and show a lot of love. They show how much they appreciate me and have made me a priority recruit.”
