Better Know a Buckeye: Ian Moore Has College-Ready Size and High Upside As a Potential Future Starting Right Tackle for Ohio State

The highest-rated offensive lineman in Ohio State's 2024 recruiting class, Ian Moore (No. 5 interior offensive lineman, No. 168 overall) brings plenty of talent with his college-ready size to Columbus.

He joined a recent run of Ohio State signees from Indiana including Caden Curry in 2022, Zen Michalski in 2021, Josh Fryar in 2020 and Craig Young and Dawand Jones in 2019.

How He Became a Buckeye

Moore received an OSU offer after dominating at an Ohio State camp on June 15, 2022, which quickly changed the Indiana product's recruitment even though it was his 23rd Division I offer.

“It felt amazing to get it,” Moore told Eleven Warriors after getting the offer. “When coach Day told me, I was speechless. He just told me I had a great day at camp and they really like me and told me I had an offer."

From that moment on, Moore was a priority target for the Buckeyes, and the coaching staff made that known as Ryan Day, offensive line coach Justin Frye, graduate assistant Mike Sollenne and recruiting assistant Cass Simmons all reached out to the Indiana standout on Sept. 1, 2022, two days before he made a game visit to Columbus on Sept. 3 for the Notre Dame game, the first of multiple visits Moore made for an Ohio State game that season.

“I had a great time,” Moore said. “I met a lot of great fans and parents that told me all about OSU. I got to meet a lot more fans than last time. I think my favorite part of the visit was getting to connect with the fans.”

On Oct. 20, 2022, Moore committed to Ohio State over Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin, among others, a decision that seemed inevitable after he received his Buckeye offer even though the offensive lineman wanted to take his time and do his due diligence in his recruitment.

“Every time I would try and compare a school, I'd always compare it to Ohio State,” Moore said ahead of his commitment. “Every time I'd see something that this one school did, I'd be like, ‘Ohio State didn’t do that’ … I just kept circling back to there's no point, I know where I want to go.”

“(OSU's) culture, honestly,” Moore said when asked why he knew he wanted to be a Buckeye. “Culture, the coaches, the fans, the team. Growing up (in Indiana), you kind of grew up hating Ohio State because they beat your college team every week. But I mean, going there and being recruited by them, it was probably one of the best experiences I've ever had. Getting to see a couple of games there was incredible. Like, the atmosphere was insane. The players were top of the line. You can tell that they've been coached really well.”

One of the many reasons Moore chose Ohio State was because of Justin Frye, whose own Indiana roots helped him bond with Moore.

“I don't know if it's an Indiana thing. But Coach Frye literally sounds like my dad when he talks,” Moore said. “He feels like a family member and it was a big impact. I was comparing things, but it all narrowed down to (the coaching staff) and the distance. The distance was the main reason (I picked OSU), I mean, it's two-and-a-half hours from my house. My dad's a big guy, he's 6-foot-7 and he doesn't fit on planes. It's good for them to be able to see me.”

High School Years

As a sophomore, Moore played on both the offensive and defensive lines and helped lead New Palestine to an 8-4 record and a spot in the Indiana 4A regional championship.

As a junior, Moore was an anchor at right tackle for New Palestine's offensive line, playing a key role in his team's perfect 9-0 regular season and another Indiana 4A regional championship appearance.

Moore saved his best season for last, leading the Dragons to an 11-3 record and a spot in the Indiana 4A state semifinals while earning All-Indiana first-team honors from the Indiana Football Coaches Association. He also totaled 37 tackles (9.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks and a fumble recovery from the defensive line as a senior.

#OhioState Top247 OL commit Ian Moore has been a punishing blocker tonight. Also looks good in pass protection. Good twitch and nimble feet, has played every snap but kickoffs in the first quarter. One of the key commits in a #Buckeyes class @247Sports ranks No. 2 in the country. pic.twitter.com/DSlgaCS2XB

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) October 20, 2023

​Throughout his career at New Palestine, Moore showed tremendous explosion off the line of scrimmage on running plays and brought the mean streak to the field OSU typically hopes to see in its offensive linemen. He follows through on his blocks long after the ball carrier has left his gap, often driving opponents into the ground.

“I feel like I'm a great teammate,” Moore said of what he can bring to OSU. “I feel like I'm pretty explosive off the ball and have a pretty good kick set. Growing up playing basketball, I'm pretty good at moving my feet. I've got good hands because you know hand-eye coordination in basketball was pretty much the most important thing. So I mean, I've got a lot of the good fundamental things.”

2024 Ohio State offensive line commit Ian Moore goes head-to-head with 2025 defensive line target Zahir Mathis. pic.twitter.com/tUKVqRewQy

— Andy Anders (@AndyAnders55) June 14, 2023

Off the gridiron, Moore was a track and field standout in the shot put, finishing seventh in the Indiana sectionals with a throw of 46-9.25 as a junior.

Immediate Impact

While Moore was listed as an interior offensive lineman by some recruiting websites and worked out at all five spots along the offensive line during OSU recruiting camps, he’s starting his Ohio State career at offensive tackle, the position he played at New Palestine. That said, Moore will gladly play anywhere he can help the team.

“Whatever they need me at is what I’ll play,” Moore told Eleven Warriors before enrolling at Ohio State. “Guard or tackle, as long as I’m playing football.”

While Moore already has the size to be a starting tackle at Ohio State, the offensive line is one of the most developmental positions in football. Pair that with Josh Simmons and Josh Fryar returning as OSU’s starting offensive tackles from last season, and Moore will likely take a redshirt as he works on honing his craft as a freshman.

That said, Luke Montgomery impressed Frye enough as a freshman last season that he not only earned a spot on the two-deep but also received playing time in short-yardage packages. Moore hopes he can impress the coaching staff like Montgomery did in 2023 to earn his way into the rotation in short-yardage situations.

“I’m just trying to get on the field,” Moore said. "Special teams is the first step and if I thrive there, you know, maybe I can creep into that rotation.”

Long-Term Impact

While Simmons and Fryar each still have another year of eligibility after this season, it’s no guarantee that either of them will return as they are both seniors academically. That could open the door for Moore to compete for a starting job at tackle in 2025, though he’ll face competition from the likes of Tegra Tshabola and Luke Montgomery (who could also end up staying at guard) as well as fellow 2024 signee Deontae Armstrong, among others.

Either way, there certainly appears to be a path for Moore to earn a job on the two-deep by his second year as a Buckeye and to be a strong candidate to start by his third season at Ohio State. His frame and power as a run blocker could make him ideally suited to man the right tackle position for the Buckeyes, though it’s possible he could also develop into playing left tackle as he develops his quickness and pass-blocking technique.

Player Comparison: Isaiah Prince

With similar size at 6-foot-7 and 310 pounds, Prince became a three-year starter at right tackle for Ohio State. He was elected as a team captain as a senior, earned first-team all-Big Ten honors during his final season in Columbus before becoming a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

Moore has the skill set to make a similar impact for the Buckeyes after a year or two of development.