Fred Moore was one of a handful of Michigan wide receivers that didn’t take a step forward in 2024, but could he be poised to do so in 2025? Here’s the story of Moore’s career so far and where he can make an impact this season:
After having a big performance in the 2024 spring game, it was reasonable to think that wide receiver Fred Moore was a good candidate for a second-year leap in Michigan’s offense. Instead, the sophomore didn’t have much of an impact in the regular season last year. Now a junior, Moore still has a chance path to be a contributor in Michigan’s offense.
Here’s a look at Moore’s path to Michigan and what he’s done in his career thus far, as well as what could be in store for the wide receiver this year.
The story so far
During the 2023 recruiting cycle, Moore wasn’t a name that was getting a ton of buzz. Listed as the No. 72 wide receiver in the class and No. 13 player from the state of Missouri, Moore was a three-star recruit on 247Sports’ composite . Jim Harbaugh and company were able to land Moore’s services back in July 2022.
When Moore came to Ann Arbor ahead of the 2023 season, he was joining a receiver room that already featured Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson and Tyler Morris, making it unlikely for him to have a major impact right away. He did appear in 13 games as a freshman, but mostly on special teams. On offense, he was limited to just four receptions for 32 yards.
In 2024, there were plenty of snaps to go around following the departures of Wilson and Johnson. Moore wasn’t a name getting much buzz early on, but made a name for himself with a big performance in the spring game.
“He’s fast! HE’S FAST!” @FredrickMoore6_ turned on the wheels for the TD!! @umichfootball pic.twitter.com/A9eyaxtDOy
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) April 20, 2024
Once the regular season rolled around, Moore was looked at alongside Morris and Semaj Morgan as a guy that could step up in a relatively young and inexperienced wide receiver room. Unfortunately, that didn’t really materialize, but neither did anything else for Michigan’s passing attack.
As as sophomore, Moore managed just 11 receptions and 128 yards across 13 games. He did finish the season on something of a high note though, catching three passes for 37 yards and a touchdown against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Outlook for 2025
Even after a dismal performance for Michigan’s passing attack in 2024, there’s still a path for guys like Moore to make an impact in 2025. They should greatly benefit from Chip Lindsey’s arrival as the offensive coordinator, as well as improved quarterback play.
Moore’s route-running and quickness are two traits that will help him stand out most. He’s built in a similar mold to Roman Wilson, who made steady progressions each year before emerging as a star as a senior. The hope is Moore can take another step forward this season to be the second or third option in the passing game alongside Donaven McCulley and Morgan — much like Wilson did in 2022 behind Ronnie Bell.
Although Moore has the traits to become a more impactful player, there are also some things that could complicate this vision. Namely, there are others that could eat up targets. McCulley and Morgan will likely have big roles, but so too could Anthony Simpson, a speedy transfer from UMass. Simpson had an injury-riddled 2024 season, but had 792 yards in 2023 for the Minutemen. Additionally, Channing Goodwin turned some heads during the spring, while freshmen Andrew Marsh and Jamar Browder could get more snaps as the season progresses.
Overall, it will be important for Moore to get off to a hot start. With Michigan’s receiver room as currently constructed and Lindsey in command of the offense, the receivers have a chance to fall into more defined roles that suit their skillsets.
If Moore can grasp on as Michigan’s Z-receiver, he could have a breakout year. However, if he isn’t able to find his groove in Michigan’s new offense, he’s at risk of being passed up on the depth chart by some of the younger players in the room.