Elite versatility earns Michigan’s Salesi Moa major ranking jump

[ASFN Admin]

The old Michigan football staff worked diligently to try to flip 2027 Ogden (Utah) Fremont athlete Salesi Moa -- to no avail. Even as Moa was pried loose from Tennessee, he ultimately ended up at Utah with Kyle Whittingham. But when Whittingham left Salt Lake City for Ann Arbor, things changed again, and Moa (who was enrolled in classes with the Utes) transferred to the Wolverines.

Now with Moa in the fold, the maize and blue don't just have a versatile athlete, they have an elite one. Rivals updated its five-stars on Tuesday, and Moa was bumped up from four-star status to being among the truly elite. He's now ranked No. 30 overall.

NEW Michigan ATH signee Salesi Moa ranks No. 30 and five-stars in the final 2026 Rivals300https://t.co/lK2bMAJRP8pic.twitter.com/f3VLPksFDv

— Rivals (@Rivals) January 27, 2026

Previously, he was ranked No. 70 overall and was firmly in four-star status. Assuming the other recruits hold their ranking, Moa's inclusion into five-star status gives the Wolverines their third, as Michigan football signees Carter Meadows (No. 6 before Tuesday) and Savion Hiter (No. 8) were already considered among the top recruits in the country.

Here's the new intel from Rivals:

“Moa is one of the more interesting prospects among the five-star group in that he could be an impact player with NFL draft-ability at three different positions. He was a star receiver in high school, also a hyper-physical safety, but what really got us excited was seeing him play corner at Polynesian Bowl practices. He was Rivals’ MVP at the Polynesian Bowl and really locked down his side of the ball in man coverage and I think that adds another layer to his evaluation. It’s very possible that we could see him play on both sides of the ball in his career at Michigan. When you look at his size and athleticism, he’s around 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, tests as an outstanding athlete.

… The fluidity and instincts make me not rule out Moa being a first-round type of corner if that’s where he ends up sticking. But regardless, a phenomenal player and one who we wouldn’t be surprised to see make an impact on both sides of the ball in Ann Arbor. A lot of prospects will say they want to play both ways, but Moa actually has that ability.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

Moa is expected to start his career at wide receiver, but the idea of putting him in the defensive backfield might be too tantalizing for the coaching staff.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan signee Salesi Moa rises to five-star status in Rivals update

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