MORE: Ole Miss' 2018 commitment list
Regardless of where on the calendar it falls, Signing Day always packs a bit of SEC drama. The fact that wide receiver Elijah Moore signed with Ole Miss on Wednesday is made more notable by the fact that Moore has been committed to Georgia since Aug. 16. Then, nothing is official until pen meets paper.
Below, Rivals.com take a look at the motivation behind Moore’s change of heart and break down how the move helps the Rebels and hurts the Bulldogs
THE SITUATION
Moore’s decision to sign with Ole Miss instead of Georgia was a mild surprise, but word of the possibility began to leak on Tuesday night. Moore, who was committed to Georgia for some time, had a last-minute change of heart and decided to make things official with the Rebels instead of the Bulldogs.
Moore, as some remember, was on a visit to Ole Miss when news of former head coach Hugh Freeze’s dismissal broke. He chose UGA shortly thereafter but began to have second thoughts when Matt Luke, who served as his primary recruiter all along, was given the Rebels’ head coaching job. Wednesday’s decision was seemingly at like partially the product of those feelings coming to head.
HOW IT HELPS OLE MISS
Moore is a dynamic receiver that makes up for what he lacks in size with acceleration. Moore creates separation with a devastating change of pace. And while he lacks eye-popping high school stats, he’s always looked impressive in settings that pair him with FBS-bound defensive backs.
The four-star receiver a nice steal for a Rebel program that is facing a bowl ban and may not have the type of class it wants but seems to be managing to keep its head above water in a difficult time. This is certainly a welcomed development in Oxford.
HOW IT HURTS GEORGIA
Georgia is the loser of sorts in this scenario, but it’s not as though Moore was one of the gems of the Bulldogs’ class. It’s certainly not ideal to lose a four-star commitment on Signing Day, but at the same time it’s unclear how hard UGA tried to keep Moore in the fold. Georgia has Rivals250 prospect Kearis Jackson already in its class is likely to expand its search for more wideouts before February’s traditional signing day. This situation helps Ole Miss more than it hurts the Bulldogs.