Dante Moore learning to enjoy his newfound L.A. moment amid UCLA QB battle
Dante Moore is the heir apparent to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He is the most highly rated quarterback ever to enroll at UCLA and is creating buzz during spring practices with his quick release and athleticism.
He’s also 17 years old.
Thompson-Robinson, the Bruins quarterback from 2018 to 2022, is six years older than Moore. He’s on campus while preparing for the NFL draft less than three weeks away.
Moore is wise enough to seek counsel from DTR, even doing so between plays Saturday at Spaulding Field.
“Dorian, I appreciate him a lot,” Moore said. “I always watched him, being a great player for UCLA and a great playmaker for the team. I knew he’d be a great person to talk to and pick his brain, him being another young Black quarterback, especially for someone in my shoes going to the college level.”
The first day of UCLA football spring practice gave everyone an early glimpse of Dante Moore, the heir apparent to Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback.
Moore is growing up fast and enjoying every moment. While his classmates at Detroit King High are finishing their senior year, he enrolled at UCLA in January and is zipping around campus and sightseeing on the Westside from his scooter.
Moore will turn 18 on May 24.
“I love being in Santa Monica at the pier,” he said. “I love going up to the observatory. … Being out here, at first I was walking, enjoying everything, and now I’m scootering around.”
Like so many 17-year-olds, Moore is an avid gamer who probably spends too much time playing “Grand Theft Auto.” One of the game’s “Real Life Locations” is the Santa Monica Pier.
“I wanted to see if it was real,” Moore said. “When I went to the pier, everything was exactly the same [as the game]. And I love the weather here. Back at home it’s inches of snow. I’m blessed to be here absorbing great sun.”
Moore has competition for the starting job. He’s one of five Bruins quarterbacks, and the other four have college experience. All were made available to the media Saturday and no one is conceding anything.
Ethan Garbers was Thompson-Robinson’s backup the last two seasons and performed well in limited duty, completing 64.8% of 88 passes for 599 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions.
“With Dorian gone, there is a gap that needs to be filled,” Garbers said. “I’ll try to do that and everyone else will try to do that. … This is my third year in this playbook and [Chip] Kelly’s offense. I think I’m just comfortable diving deeper into it.”
Collin Schlee is a redshirt senior transfer with two years of eligibility who started at mid-major Kent State last season after serving as backup. He completed 59% of his passes for 2,109 yards while rushing for 489 yards in 2022, although he was pulled early in the last two games of the season in favor of freshmen.
He led a mass exodus of transfers from Kent State after coach Sean Lewis left to become offensive coordinator under Deion Sanders at Colorado. Schlee isn’t shy about saying he wants to play in the NFL and that learning UCLA’s pro-style offense can help get him there.
“What Chip Kelly has done at the college level and NFL [attracted him to UCLA],” Schlee said. “I want to go to the next level and wanted to go to an organization that’s been around that.”
Justyn Martin, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound redshirt freshman from Inglewood High, is the most physically imposing Bruins quarterback. Kelly commented last week that Martin’s offseason regimen was particularly impressive.
“I feel bigger, faster, stronger than ever before,” Martin said. “I really focused this offseason on myself and developing my body. I want to be the biggest, strongest, fastest quarterback and I feel like I’m on the right track.”
UCLA transfer Carson Steele has impressed Bruins coach Chip Kelly with his toughness and work ethic, helping offset the loss of Zach Charbonnet.
At 5-10, Chase Griffin is known more for his astonishing success in the name, image and likeness space than for on-field exploits. He did throw for six touchdowns and completed 64.5% of 62 passes as a freshman in 2020, but has played only a few minutes since then.
Relentlessly positive and an excellent role model, Griffin, 22, will make an impact on his signal-calling brethren whether or not he contributes on the field.
“Being at my age, and more importantly, my perspective is very helpful for the young guys,” he said. “I tell all the quarterbacks, ‘I’m rooting for y’all,’ just like I’m rooting for myself.”
Moore feels like he has four new older brothers. What could be an awkward situation — he’s the young pup expected to become the alpha dog in time for the Bruins’ season opener Sept. 2 against Coastal Carolina — has so far been pleasant.
“I might be the youngest on the team,” he said. “Me coming in, I appreciate everybody on the team that has accepted me and pushed me every day.
“When I’m in the game I feel real comfortable and everybody is believing in me and I’m believing in everybody else, so I appreciate everything going on and I love this team.”
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
