4-Star Nic Moore Says Commitment Had Tennessee Coach Josh Heupel ‘Smiling Through the Phone’
Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel was visibly thrilled when he met Nic Moore on campus. The four-star offensive lineman from Jefferson County appreciated Heupel’s genuine enthusiasm during their conversations, which solidified his decision to commit to Tennessee on Thursday.
“He was excited about me, and I could tell he was being genuine,” Moore told Knox News. “When I decided to call him last night and tell him I was committing, he was really excited. I could hear him smiling through the phone, his wife was celebrating, and everybody was just having a big celebration.”
Moore, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 300 pounds, is ranked as the No. 10 player in Tennessee and the No. 20 interior offensive lineman in the 2025 class by the 247Sports Composite. He committed to the Volunteers after receiving an offer on May 10 and making an official visit over the weekend. Moore chose Tennessee over Vanderbilt and West Virginia.
In 2023, Moore was named the Region 1-6A Offensive Lineman of the Year and made the Knox News All-PrepXtra first team. An important factor in his decision was Tennessee’s team culture.
“They have a sense of togetherness that no other team has that I’ve been to,” said Moore, who also considered Ole Miss, North Carolina, and Kentucky. “They’re applying every little bit of that culture to their lives so it’s not just an in-building thing, it’s an out-of-building thing. And I feel like they’re making the community better, and that’s something I like to be a part of.”
Moore also appreciated Tennessee’s focus on his development both as a player and as a person. He described himself as an “aggressive” player with a talent for detecting incoming blitzes and a leader who energizes his teammates during games.
Additionally, Moore plays defensive tackle and contributed to Jefferson County’s 10-2 record and Class 6A state second-round appearance. He recorded 40 tackles, 14 quarterback pressures, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, a fumble recovery, and an interception.
The night before announcing his commitment, Moore shared a memorable moment with his parents and Jefferson County coach Spencer Riley, celebrating his step forward in his football career.
“It really sunk in that I will be going to play college football next year, and that was really exciting for me and my family,” Moore said. “Everybody had a bunch of smiles on their faces.”
