Indiana Hoosiers 2017 Recruiting Class Profile: Clifton Moore

Who?

That was the first question that came to mind of many Hoosier fans when Indiana and former head coach Tom Crean offered 6-foot-10 forward Clifton Moore.

Moore raised some eyebrows last summer on the AAU Circuit, which is compelling considering the fact he played on a non-sneaker sponsored team.

Moore picked the Hoosiers over the likes of other high major programs such as Ole Miss and Northwestern, as well as mid-major programs like Temple and St. Joseph's.

Like fellow Indiana incoming freshman Al Durham, Moore wanted to reopen his recruitment after the Crean firing but ultimately assured his commitment to the Hoosiers and now head coach Archie Miller.

Here is what Indiana is getting in Moore.

PLAYER PROFILE

Name/Position: Clifton Moore, PF

High School: Hatboro-Horsham High School (Horsham, PA)

Height/Weight: 6-foot-10, 200 lbs

Player Rankings: ESPN (Unranked, 3-stars), 247 (122nd, 4-stars), Scout (Unranked, 4-stars)

THE GOOD

It's crazy what one summer can do for a prospect's recruiting profile. After Moore's junior year, he held one offer from Lafayette College, a low-major program in the Patriot League. Moore's stock started to explode as he progressively put up high numbers and held his own against robust competition. Once his name began to circulate among college coaches, offers were flying in and Moore's recruitment skyrocketed.

With Moore's improvement over the past year or two, there's some hopefulness that there's still more room to grow as a player.

Standing at 6-foot-10, Moore is considered as a face-up forward with great length and perimeter ability. He runs the floor very well for his size, which seems to be a common trend among Indiana big men in recent years. But, the main dish Moore brings to the table is his shot-making skills.

Moore possesses one of the most beautiful and fluid outside strokes you'll ever see from a player of his stature. Indiana is known for having big men who can take and make the three-pointer and Moore is a prime model of that brand of player.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

The biggest question with Moore is how he will adjust competing against top competition night in and night out.

The downside of not playing on a shoe sponsored team is the competition isn't up to the status of the EYBL, UAA, Adidas Uprising, etc. Throughout his youth career, Moore could depend on his height and length to dominate more impotent opponents.

For someone of his size, Moore is gaunt and will need to add a decent amount of muscle to keep up with more vigorous forwards inside the paint. Adding more strength will allow Moore to become more comfortable with contact in different facets of the game.

HOW HE FITS

Moore will be a project for the Hoosiers.

His length and perimeter skills are a great starting point as he learns how to adjust playing against division one competition on a nightly basis. If Archie Miller made it that much of a priority to rear back Moore to Indiana, wouldn't there be something special Archie saw in Clifton?

At Dayton, Miller was able to bring in low-profile recruits and utilize them in a system where they'd excel and thrive to their strengths.

There's no doubt Miller has a plan in store for Moore where he'll flourish at Indiana.