Why College Coaches Need to Recruit Jonathan Moses Now

Georgia – In the State of Georgia, effective defensive play hinges on a player’s ability to be both physical and adaptable, ready to face elite athletes known for their speed and power. In this year’s Class of 2026, you have 6’0 200 lbs, outside linebacker / strong safety, Jonathan Moses from New Manchester HS. When a college coach says he is looking for smart, physical, three-down defenders, Jonathan Moses checks every box, and then some. In the Atlanta Area, he has quietly become one of the most productive defenders in his region, while bringing leadership, versatility, and toughness to a program that has steadily climbed the Georgia 5A ladder. This isn’t a projection story based on “potential” alone. Moses already has real varsity production, authentic leadership, and genuine tape.

The Heart of New Manchester’s Defense

Moses has been a constant for New Manchester since his first year, working his way from an underclassman contributor into the defensive centerpiece of a team that went 8–3 in the 2024 season, including a strong run in Georgia’s competitive Region 5-AAAAA. By his senior year, Moses had become the team’s leading tackler, averaging 5.8 tackles per game and ranking near the top of the region in total tackles with 50+. He also added two sacks, tying for second on the team, showing he’s not just a “clean-up” tackler—he can win downhill and affect the quarterback when his number is called.

But the stats only tell part of the story.

Turn on his Hudl film, and Moses looks like a classic strong safety/overhang linebacker: playing in space, fitting the run like an extra linebacker, and triggering downhill with violence when he reads run. He shows enough range to work sideline-to-sideline and enough power at contact to finish plays one-on-one in the alley.

Physical, Instinctive, and Built for Today’s Defenses

On paper, Moses is built exactly the way modern defenses want their hybrid defenders:

• 6’0″, 200 lbs with room to add more good weight,
• Plays OLB, MLB, DE at different points in his career, showing true positional flexibility,
• Listed as LB/SS on his recruiting and social profiles, reflecting how he can fit in multiple schemes at the next level.

His game is built on:

• Downhill mentality: Moses triggers fast and doesn’t hesitate when he diagnoses a run. He’s willing to meet ball carriers at or behind the line of scrimmage and embraces contact.
• Instincts: He reads blocking schemes, finds the ball, and rarely looks lost. That shows up in how consistently he’s around the play and why he’s at the top of the tackling charts.
• Versatility: He’s lined up on the edge, inside, and in the secondary. That’s the kind of adaptability that lets college staff plug him into nickel, Sam/WILL linebacker, or box safety roles, depending on the system.

Defensive coordinators at the college level are constantly looking for players who can stay on the field all three downs—cover tight ends and backs, fit the run, and be part of pressure packages. Moses’ film and usage at New Manchester suggest he can grow into precisely that.

Leadership and Football Character

Coaches don’t just need production; they need people they can trust. Moses is often described as physical, instinctive, and a natural leader, the kind of player who sets the standard in the weight room, in meetings, and on Friday nights. Academically, he carries around a 3.3–3.4 GPA in Honors and AP courses—showing he can handle college-level workloads in the classroom as well as the playbook. That combination—production, leadership, and academics—fits exactly what most college programs say they want in scholarship athletes.

Big-Game Reps in a Real Football State

Georgia isn’t just “another” football state. It’s one of the deepest talent pools in the country, and Region 5-AAAAA features physical, fast, and well-coached offenses that demand linebackers and safeties to be sharp every snap. Moses has seen playoff atmospheres and high-leverage snaps, with his name appearing in game recaps and tagged highlight clips from matchups like Lakeside in the postseason and regular-season wins over Stone Mountain and Washington. He isn’t just racking up numbers in blowouts—he’s competing against legitimate talent in meaningful games.

For programs that value developmental toughness, scheme versatility, and reliable tackling, Moses profiles as a prospect who can help on special teams early and grow into a starter at linebacker or strong safety.

To view his complete brand profile, visit www.underrecruitedathlete.com/NM_Jonathan