Some teenagers like to celebrate their birthday with cake and a few friends.
University High’s Kelan Moses – the state’s No. 3 prospect in the Class of 2025 – decided to pick his college of choice in front of a gymnasium full of supporters.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Moses, who began attending U-High as a first grader, believed the view of home suited him just fine and committed to LSU on Thursday after his school’s basketball game.
“Well, I’m a family-oriented type of guy, and being close to my family wasn’t that huge of a factor in my recruitment but getting more mature and as time went on, I realized I wanted to be there for my family and my little brother especially,” Moses told On3.com. “(LSU assistant) Coach Frank Wilson and I had a conversation before my commitment and told me I’d get taken care of here. Growing up being in the facility all the time the staff that’s been there since my brother was getting recruited understands me and my situation so there doesn’t have to be much said.”
According to the On3Sports.com’s consensus recruiting profile, the four-star Moses is the nation’s No. 176 overall prospect and No. 22 linebacker.
“I think LSU’s done a good job of recruiting him,” U-High football coach Andy Martin said. “They’ve made him a priority and have made sure to keep a good relationship with him. It makes it easy with him being this close to them. I think they’ve done everything they can do as far as recruiting him and doing it the right way.
“Keylan’s very mature,” Martin added. “I think he knows what he wants. At this point this is what he wanted to do, wanted to shut it (recruiting) down and try and help the school have the best class it can. He wanted to get in front of it and be a leader for them.”
Moses selected hometown LSU over Florida, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas. He narrowed those finalist on Nov. 21 from a group that also included Alabama, Florida State, Notre Dame and Texas.
He becomes the sixth member of LSU’s nationally ranked Class of ’25 and fourth from Louisiana joining Sulphur tight end JD LaFleur, Karr wide receiver TaRon Francis and Newman inside offensive lineman Brett Bordelon.
LSU’s class is ranked No. 4 by On3 and No. 6 by 247.
“It depends on what his body does,” Martin said of Moses’ projected position in college. “He’s such a good athlete, he can do so many things from outside linebacker, a rush-type outside linebacker to strong safety. Some people are saying the role (LSU linebacker) Harold Perkins played last year. One of the things people are going to look for, because of the way offenses are running now, is to see if he could play inside linebacker. The would be the No. 1 thing and from that point on just see what his body does.”
Moses is a two-way contributor for No. 4 seed U-High (11-1) which meets No. 1 seed St. Charles (12-0) in Friday’s Division III select state semifinal playoff game.
Martin has been able to take advantage of Moses’ athleticism and versatility and play him at several different defensive positions. He’s transitioned from a rush-the-passer outside linebacker as a freshman to an inside linebacker and has 63 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two caused fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
With the emergence of senior Riley Small, the role of Moses has been tapered back on offense, but he’s still carried 29 times for 292 yards and seven touchdowns.
“From Day One, he came in and we knew he would play somewhere for us, and we had to figure where that would be,” Martin said. “We’ve tried to develop him at different positions. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and he’s done it the best that he can. We’ve moved him this year within the game. We don’t keep him in one spot.”
Moses got a front-row seat to one of the nation’s most anticipated recruiting processes when his older brother – linebacker Dylan Moses – was a Parade All-American and nation’s top defensive player. He first committed to LSU but rescinded that pledge when head coach Les Miles was fired and wound up signing with Alabama.
Dylan Moses, who endured a difficult knee injury during the latter stages of his career at Alabama, recently signed a UFSL contract with the Memphis Showboats.
“The experiences that Dylan had, and the things he went through and getting to watch him in college, has definitely played a role in what Kelan’s done,” Martin said. “His mom does a great job of trying to guide him. He’s very grounded and the fact that he was exposed to so many things on the outside had helped his recruitment.
“They’re very similar in some ways,” Martin added. “When Dylan left, he was just a manchild, a freak out there. Kelan’s still got some growing to do in a good way. He still has a strength level that’s not quite there yet. That’s going to keep coming and I think he’ll be a little bit taller. He’s still got some growth that can happen. The mental part of the game. I think Kelan could be a little ahead of where Dylan was. He diagnosis things, he sees things at a rapid rate.”
Be the first to comment