Why did 4-star WR recruit Elijah Moore choose Florida State? The dynamic playmaker spurns Ohio State for the Seminoles

It was a memorable July 4th for four-star WR prospect Elijah Moore, as he officially gave his commitment to Florida State. Moore committed to the Seminoles on Tuesday evening, giving them preference over the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Moore had earlier given his word to FSU head coach Mike Norvell, during his campus official visit in June. He recalled how excited the head coach had been when he gave his word. The Seminoles had closely monitored Moore for most of his high school career.

Certain factors for the 6-foot-4, 205-pound athlete influenced his choice to go to FSU. The first factor for him was family. Moore said the following during the exit interview:

"My brother was like you're going here. My dad was like you're going here. I just told Coach Norvell that Florida State was the place for me."

Heading to Florida State for his official visit, Moore had believed he would end up at Ohio State. So, what changed?

The visit to the campus had a lot to do with it. Moore became convinced that he and Florida State were a perfect match:

"He really made me feel comfortable down here and made me feel like I belong down there and that I was a fit for him, not just the school being a fit for me, but me being a fit for the school."

Furthermore, the program’s track record of success with big-bodied and athletic wide receivers, the most recent being Johnny Wilson, also impressed Moore. He admitted he “wouldn’t have considered a school that doesn’t have receivers like me.”

How a school fared with players of similar characteristics is a criterion Elijah Moore takes seriously. He made it clear that he wouldn’t commit his energy to any institution that “didn’t have players like me there and can’t develop players of my caliber.”

Elijah Moore as a recruitment prospect

Elijah Moore’s target is to enroll at FSU in January, by which time he wants to weigh 210 pounds. He is currently ranked the 432nd overall prospect by the 247Sports Composite Recruiting Rankings, and is the number 64 wide receiver in the 2024 class.

The young prospect attends Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland. He had attracted interest from several top college football programs across the country including Florida, Charlotte, and Duke. However, he only paid official visits to Ohio State and Florida State before eventually committing to the latter.

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