Editors note: Darrius Mosley is a NCAA academic non-qualifier. He will attend junior college an is no longer committed to Montana State
Darrius Mosley refuses to be swayed.
The Killeen, Texas native received an offer from Montana State in May. By June, he became the first member of the Class of 2016 to verbally commit to the Bobcat coaching staff.
Since committing, Mosley’s recruitment has really heated up. He says he’s received heavy interest from Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas State, North Texas and Stephen F. Austin. The 6-foot-6, 278-pound offensive tackle has received letters from Baylor and UCLA. His Rivals.com profile lists the following schools as having interest in Mosley: Arizona State, Auburn, Houston, Kansas State, Kentucky, Miami (Ohio), Michigan State, Missouri, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Stanford, TCU and Texas.
Google his name and you’ll find links to stories about visits to Texas and TCU. Several Texas newspapers have done articles questioning Mosley’s early commitment, especially considering he’s never been to Bozeman, Montana. But Mosely said his commitment is firm and he can’t wait to be a Bobcat.
“I’m sticking with Montana State no matter what but I like all the attention I’m getting from all these other colleges and stuff because it’s not putting pressure on me because I know where I want to go,” Mosley said.
“Besides the fact that I have a chance to be a four-year starter, I like how the coaches treat you. They don’t just treat you like a player. They treat you like their son. Plus, I like playing in the cold.
“My biggest goal is to be a four-year starter and win a championship.”
It’s hard to say how Mosley knows what it’s like to play in the cold, but there’s no doubt of his ability to play football. The agile athlete was a District 12-6A selection last season playing in Texas’ largest classification. He’s attended various all-star and individual camps over the last year, earning high praise at almost all of them. Yet he still only has one offer: Montana State.
In an article about the top prospects in Texas without offers, the recruiting website 24/7 Sports wrote:
The 6-4/260 offensive lineman certainly had one of the more impressive frames at the recent Houston NextLevel camp. He has plenty of room to fill out and has long arms that aid him well in pass protection. He is likely a right tackle at the next level but schools may like him on the inside as well.
Mosley is also a standout basketball player who can dunk and handle the fast break.
“Basketball helps me with my hand-eye coordination and my footwork and my speed because we do a lot of speed training during basketball season,” Mosley said.
He says he’s been clocked under 5.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Mosley spent the off-season learning how to play guard and center, but left tackle is his best position and the one he’ll play in college. Montana State senior John Weidenaar, a 6-foot-8, 295-pounder from Manhattan, has started 39 straight games at left tackle for the Bobcats. His backup is 6-foot-6, 270-pound true freshman Mitch Brott, a Billings West product.
Mosley first heard from Montana State recruiting coordinator Bo Beck, a ninth-year Bobcat assistant who also coaches MSU’s defensive line. Mosley said he’s also heard from MSU head coach Rob Ash. Beck is the only Montana State coach he’s met in person and he’s never been to Bozeman.
“It didn’t make me nervous because the way they described it and I looked it up on the internet and I seen what it looked like and I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t lie to me about how it looked,” Mosley said. “I’m not nervous to come there.”
Mosley said he is trying to come on a visit to Montana State sometime in September or October. Montana State customarily does not host its recruiting visit trips until after the regular season is complete.
When speculation started to swirl about Mosley’s early commitment and the strong attention he is receiving, his father posted the following on the Bobcat Nation message board website.
You guys have nothing to worry about. Darrius Mosley’s commitment is firm. He has fallen in love with your coaching staff & he has already formed relationships with a few of the students & other players that have been offered and he is trying to get them to commit as well. A lot of the larger power 5 conference schools are attempting to flip him but he wont even talk to them. His mind is made up and we are making plans to have him on campus by July 2016. I am his father so you can let all of the Bobcat faithful know that Darrius Mosley will be a Montana State Bobcat.
You have nothing to be concerned about when it comes to Darrius Mosley playing for Montana State. He gets letters and posters from Texas, Oklahoma State and a few other schools from the surrounding area on a daily basis but he has assured me that his commitment to MSU is solid and he is looking forward to suiting up for the Bobcats in 2016. He loves playing in cold weather and he is very impressed with the coaches. Outside of any unforeseen circumstances outside of our control Darrius Mosley will be a Bobcat for life.
Mosley echoed his father’s written sentiments when interviewed by Skyline Sports.
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