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Undrafted rookie defender making a case to crack Dolphins' roster
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- Undrafted rookie defender making a case to crack Dolphins' roster
The Miami Dolphins will open up their preseason schedule on Friday against the Washington Commanders , and the two teams will have joint practice on Wednesday. This will be a key time for fringe players, especially undrafted free agents, to make their mark in the hopes of making the 53-man roster.
One UDFA has already laid the groundwork, through several days of quality practice, in cracking the initial roster. Although not selected back in April's draft, safety Louis Moore has been one of the early, young standouts during Miami's opening sessions of training camp. Moore has been all over the field with pass breakups, an interception, getting into the backfield on a tackle for loss, and forcing a fumble on a punch-out.
Part of the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers from last year's college season, Moore was surprisingly undrafted, and the Dolphins wasted no time signing him to a free agent deal. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection as well as a second-team Associated Press All-American in 2025.
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Despite being considered a tad undersized at 5-foot-11 and 190 lbs., Moore has made up for it with his coverage ability, instincts and ball skills. He actually played wide receiver in addition to safety while at Navarro Community College and hauled in 48 receptions for 713 yards and five touchdowns.
After two seasons, he transferred to Indiana in 2022, played there in 2023, then went to Ole Miss in 2024, while returning to finish his collegiate career with the Hoosiers in 2025. At 25 with six college seasons under his belt, Moore has plenty of experience as he battles to make an NFL roster.
Moore showcased his ball-hawking ability last season in Indiana, tallying six interceptions and four pass breakups. He also made 88 tackles, with 2.5 for loss. During his four-year Division I college career, Moore compiled 215 total tackles, 6.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, nine interceptions and six pass breakups, as well as four forced fumbles and a recovery.
In a very thin safety group for the Dolphins, mixed with head coach Jeff Hafley's propensity for using several and rotating them in his scheme, Moore is perhaps the leading UDFA to make this roster so far. Adding to Hafley's affinity is Moore's versatility in areas of the field where he can line up, being able to play free safety, the slot and up in the box.
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His play has been recognized by veteran safety Zayne Anderson , as on Friday he praised Moore to South Florida media.
"He's tenacious, he's a football player," Anderson said. "You can just see, like his aggression. He can cover. He's physical. I think he's going to be a dawg on special teams. I think he could play a huge role on defense from an early start. Just watching him, I haven't even talked to him that much, honestly, but watching him play football, it's cool to see."
Moore is a name to circle and track during the preseason slate and the rest of camp in his quest to be named on the 53-man roster. Other than Anderson, veteran Lonnie Johnson Jr. , second-year Dante Trader Jr. and rookie Michael Taaffe are safe names to make this team.
If Miami elects to carry five at the position, standing in Moore's way is UFL free agent signing Major Burns as well as recent addition from this week, Tanner Wall. A strong few games in August and continued progress in practice could make Moore the next UDFA to become a fan favorite in South Florida.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Undrafted rookie defender making a case to crack Dolphins' roster
