Ohio State Signee Ian Moore 'Just Wants To Play Football'

SAN ANTONIO — One of the more underappreciated recruiting wins for Ohio State in the 2024 cycle was New Palestine (IN) offensive lineman Ian Moore. The four-star prospect gave the Buckeyes an early commitment and never wavered as he comes in as one of the most important pieces to a recruiting class that many are hoping will bolster the Buckeyes’ offensive line for years to come.

Before Moore arrives in Columbus next week, he is down in San Antonio taking part in the All-American Bowl. With the class essentially wrapped up, Moore can’t wait to get to work with his classmates.

“You can always argue that we need more (guys) but we all have great chemistry,” Moore said of the 2024 Buckeye signees. “We’ve got six guys down here, five on the East, and we’re just (really close) right now. I think just being all together down here, it’s a brotherhood. I’m glad with the guys we have, I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Moore has been working at right guard for the East Team this week in San Antonio. The Buckeyes have recruited Moore as a tackle and that’s where he’ll start his Ohio State career. But Moore isn’t overly concerned about that, he just wants to help the team in anyway that he can.

“Anytime coach Frye starts talking to me about playing tackle or his plans for me, I’m just like, ‘coach, I just want to play football’,” Moore stated. “If I’ve got to play center, I can’t snap well, but I’ll learn, because I just want to play football.”

So much of offensive line play is about chemistry and Moore and his fellow O-Linemen in this class have become really close, with three of the four having been committed since very early in the process.

“Gabe (VanSickle) is coming in late, he’s playing his basketball season,” Moore explained. “But us three (Moore and Deontae and Devontae Armstrong) we’re going to be roommates in a week. To be able to live with those three guys, I wouldn’t want it any other way. We’ve been committed for so long, we’ve just gotten along for a while.”

Moore will likely have some future battles in practice with five-star defensive end signee Eddrick Houston. But with Moore playing guard this week, those battles haven’t started yet. But Moore has been extremely impressed with his new teammate.

“I’ll just say this, I’m glad he’s playing EDGE and not defensive tackle this week,” Moore said with a laugh. “He’s good. He’s good.”

Another future Buckeye making waves this week in San Antonio is the nation’s number one recruit, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Moore is usually blocking or working separately from the offensive skill when Smith has been doing his thing, but he has made sure to get a glimpse or two when the opportunity presents itself.

“Normally we finish before (the wide receivers) do,” Moore recalled. “I saw him, someone was right in his face, and he just reached up and snatched it (with one hand). I’m just like, ‘dude, what?’ how do you do that? I can barely catch a football with both hands. It’s crazy.”

You can get additional insight from Moore in our one-on-one interview with the Top 100 prospect from the All-American Bowl practices this week.