Dylan Moses' Quest to Reclaim No. 1 Ranking

The scene at The Opening Houston regional was routine for Dylan Moses. As he entered the Delmar-Tusa Athletic Complex, he immediately garnered stares from other athletes.

Media members quickly gravitated to him as he walked from one side of the field to the other. Fans whispered, "There's Dylan Moses."

For four years, that's been his life. Now attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Moses has been in the recruiting limelight since he was a middle school phenom in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Few athletes can say they hold football offers from LSU and Alabama midway through their eighth-grade years.

"Sometimes, it feels like I'm a professional athlete—but I'm not," said Moses, who put on his cleats to prepare for the Houston regional workouts as media representatives stood in line waiting their turns to chat with him.

For the longest time, Moses was considered the athlete to catch in the 2017 class, but he is now the nation's No. 2 player and the top-ranked linebacker. Moses will be in the spotlight next week, as he will travel to Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to compete at The Opening as one of 166 of the nation's top high school athletes.

Moses is one of the few in attendance who will make the trip for the second consecutive year. And because of his No. 2 ranking, as well as him being a veteran of The Opening, expect Moses to have a target on his back. He's been the face of the 2017 class for so long, and he understands that competitors are ready to challenge him.

Luckily for the self-proclaimed perfectionist, he can be both the hunted and the hunter. As he chases the No. 1 spot, being the latter is what drives him.

Gunning for No. 1

Four years ago, Moses was a 6'1", 215-pound bruiser who made plays at both linebacker and running back. As a freshman at University High School in September 2013, he made national headlines by verbally committing to play college ball at LSU.

Now, he's a 6'2", 220-pound machine with 40 reported offers. He backed off his LSU pledge right before the start of his junior year to explore other options. Since then, he's been a priority get for a myriad college programs.

The initial 247Sports Top 247 in April 2015 featured Moses at the No. 1 spot in the 2017 class. The same can be said for the initial Scout 300, released in June 2015. Moses was No. 2 in the initial Rivals Top 100, released in July 2015.

The first 247Sports composite ranking—the industry-driven ranking created as a consensus from the four national recruiting sites of 247Sports, Scout.com, Rivals.com and ESPN—had Moses at No. 1 in 2015, and he kept that ranking until February 2016. Running back Najee Harris, an Alabama commit, took over the top spot and dropped Moses to No. 2. That's where the two athletes have remained in the rankings.

"That No. 1 spot is the toughest move to make every year. It's why it doesn't change very often," Barton Simmons, director of scouting for 247Sports, said. "It doesn't represent anything negative on Dylan's part. This was more about a guy who took it from him. Najee has done so much that he earned that spot."

Simmons' comments are fair, as Harris is an absolute beast at 6'3" and 226 pounds. He's a running back who can be a bully between the tackles or moonlight as a shifty scatback in the open field. Harris also has outstanding hands and runs great routes as a pass-catching option out of the backfield.

The respect is there with Moses, as both he and Harris were among the handful of underclassmen competing at The Opening last year. And as Moses prefers to perform on the field versus reading about where he ranks, all he processes is that another athlete is ranked ahead of him.

"As far as I'm concerned, I know I'm No. 1," Moses said. "I try not to pay attention to where I am in the recruiting sites. If they think I'm No. 2, only numbers and stats will speak for themselves. It's like they're trying to test me, and I love being tested."

For Moses, The Opening provides an opportunity to be tested. As a linebacker, he'll have the chance to line up against running backs like Harris, Cam Akers and USC commit Stephen Carr. He'll also have the chance to show his coverage skills against some of the nation's best wide receivers, such as Donovan Peoples-Jones, Joseph Lewis, Tee Higgins and Tyjon Lindsey.

Simmons called The Opening "the best opportunity Dylan can get in the offseason" to reclaim the top spot in the 2017 class.

"You have the best players there, and you have the chance to prove yourself," Simmons said. "There's no better opportunity in the spring or summer to do it."

Moses' quest for No. 1 would be something no linebacker has accomplished since the inception of the composite ranking. Per Simmons, former Notre Dame standout Jaylon Smith, a second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in April's NFL draft, was the closest to finishing No. 1 in his recruiting class. He was the nation's top-ranked outside linebacker but finished No. 2 in the composite rankings in 2013.

Moses is in the same situation, but playing phenomenally at The Opening or in the regular season could separate him and once again put him atop the 2017 class. He will play linebacker for a team that, on paper, is one of the most talented, heavily recruited teams in the country.

"The best shot for him is when he dons the pads for IMG and plays national-level competition and gets to eat up ball-carriers," Simmons said. "It's going to be fun to see him go out and compete, because I know he's hungry."

'The hype is real with him'

Credit: Student Sports

In April, Moses announced a top five of Texas, Alabama, UCLA, LSU and USC. On June 16, he tweeted that every school "will have a chance" until his final decision scheduled for December.

Moses told Sports Illustrated in May that he's been focused on spring training and adjusting to the culture at IMG. He plans on being an early enrollee at the college of his choice.

"

I won't be making my College decision until December. It's no specific day yet but every school WILL HAVE A CHANCE till then.

— King Ⓜ️oses (@Dylan1Moses_) June 16, 2016"

On Monday night, Moses announced his official visit plans:

"

THE Official Fall '16 Tour  pic.twitter.com/plkSQ2UBCg

— King Ⓜ️oses (@Dylan1Moses_) June 28, 2016"

The winning school will get a playmaker at both the inside and outside linebacker positions. Moses has the size, lateral movement and strength to play middle linebacker, but it's his speed and instincts that project to outside linebacker.

Tight end Tre' McKitty, a teammate with 32 reported offers who will also be joining Moses in Oregon for The Opening, immediately noticed Moses' talent upon his arrival to IMG. McKitty has seen Moses' work ethic and has been excited about the competitive practices with him on the other side of the ball.

"The hype is real with him. That dude's a man, for real," McKitty said. "He's an animal out there. He's fast, and he's strong."

Moses added: "Every time I step in that weight room at IMG, and every time I step on the field, it just drives me even more to become the best of the best. That's what's been driving me my whole process, ever since I was in the eighth grade when I first got this attention."

Moses' junior stats further support his argument for the top spot. Per The Advocate, he had 104 tackles and two forced fumbles for University High—and that was done with him sidelined with injuries for two games. Moses was also voted the defensive MVP of his district before announcing he was transferring to IMG in January.

Kevin Wright is preparing for his second season as the head coach at IMG. Since his arrival from Baton Rouge, Moses has been impressive on and off the field, and the ceiling remains high for an elite-level athlete who trains as if he's someone looking to prove his worth.

"The thing about Dylan that's intriguing [is] he's an in-the-box guy that has the speed, athleticism, strength and size to play all over the field," Wright said. "I can see him potentially as a 'Mike' [middle] linebacker in the days where Mike doesn't have to look like Dick Butkus. Nowadays, the Mike has to be a big, fast guy and not just a bruiser.

"He has a lot of athletic ability. I think he can be an every-down guy who's not a liability in coverage. That's something not easy to find with a player with all those attributes; when you find him, you know he can be special."

Finding his niche

"

Keep ya head up at all times... They wanna see you fall 

— King Ⓜ️oses (@Dylan1Moses_) June 25, 2016"

For some, it may be hard to believe Moses' recruiting stardom began four years ago. On July 15, 2012, he received his first offer from LSU. Seven months later, Alabama gave him an offer. From there, offers from Ole Miss, Florida, UCLA, Florida State and Nebraska followed.

Fast-forward to now, and Moses is in a position to write his own ticket.

"My philosophy is easy: I want to make sure I do what I have to do, stay focused and keep working hard," Moses said. "I want to stay close to God and keep praying to him. As far as the recruiting process, it's going to take care of itself."

Credit: 247Sports

Ask him about his favorite player, and he'll talk about Ryan Shazier, an inside linebacker and former Ohio State standout who is entering his third year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Moses is a fan of Shazier's sideline-to-sideline speed, his ability to make plays in open space and his aggressive nature.

He will have his chance to be a premier linebacker and have similar success. If all works out, Moses also could have some college success a la Myles Jack, a Jacksonville Jaguars rookie linebacker who saw time at running back in college at UCLA.

Once considered a potential running back recruit, Moses is hoping to get an offensive package or two in college. Long term, however, Moses will thrive as a linebacker.

"I know he likes being on the field as much as possible, but he's a natural at linebacker," said Michael Fletcher, linebackers coach at The Opening. "It seems like he just has more fun attacking people. He really embraces the coaching there, and you can tell he's gravitating to that side of the ball.

"He can play both, but as a linebacker, he can be special. He's the hunter instead of being the hunted."

Wright said Moses' football IQ and businesslike manner on the field meshes well, but it's his humility that makes him stand out. Wright described him as "unassuming," someone who doesn't act like a player who's been in the recruiting spotlight for four years.

"

beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity

— King Ⓜ️oses (@Dylan1Moses_) June 22, 2016"

"I kind of wish he'd be a little more vocal at times," Wright said, "but he is who he is, and with how hard he works, the kids follow that. He's not a rah-rah guy or does a lot of talking. He's about action, and he's very focused on being the best he could be. He's a very driven young man."

December will be a huge month for one lucky school. Moses said he's looking to play at a college where he can have a great relationship with teammates and coaches and a place that will prepare him to be a force in the pros.

But as he focuses on the upcoming season with IMG and his future college plans, the No. 2 player ranking will always hold a place in the back of his mind. 

"Nobody plays to be No. 2," Moses said. "You play to be No. 1."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. Follow Damon via Twitter @DamonSayles.