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By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: Over the past three seasons, Moss was one of the most steady and consistent backs in college football, carrying the Utes offense. As a sophomore in 2017, he averaged 5.5 yards per carry for 1,173 yards with 10 touchdowns. He made 29 receptions for 243 yards that season. Moss then impressed evaluators in 2018, carrying the Utes’ offense on their way to a 9-5 season. On the year, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry for 1,096 yards with 11 touchdowns. He could have been a second-day pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but decided to return for his senior year.
In 2019, Moss averaged six yards per carry for 1,416 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also had 28 catches for 388 yards and two scores. After the season, Moss hurt himself with a slow 40 at the combine of 4.65 seconds, but more important than his 40 time was his medical exam, as teams across the league have significant medical concerns about Moss even though he was mostly durable at Utah.
If Moss can stay healthy in the NFL, he has three-down starting potential. He is a hard-nosed runner who runs angry and often brings pain to defenders who try to tackle him. Coming downhill, Moss shows serious aggression to run through defenders and power through them to continue to add yards. He has the lower body strength to move the pile and keeps his legs moving after contact.
Even though Moss is a powerful runner, he is not a slow plodder, possessing an element of speed. While he ran slow times at the combine, he plays with an element of speed, showing a burst to hit the hole before it closes and acceleration to the second level. In the open field, Moss has a second gear and does a better job of running away from the defense than one would expect. In the NFL, he will get caught from behind at times, but Moss was not a slow back at Utah.
Moss has some moves in the open field to dodge tacklers, and while he is not super elusive, he is not completely straight line. On top of his strength and quickness, Moss has other good traits like very good contact balance, vision, patience and instincts.
In the passing game, Moss is a nice back to catch balls in the flat. He is smooth in space and has soft, reliable hands. As a pro, Moss could be a solid contributor as a receiver.
In the 2020 NFL Draft, Moss could go as high as the second round and as low as the fourth round. It all depends on where the medical checks place him on draft boards. If he avoids injuries, Moss could become a workhorse back in the NFL and three-down starter.
Player Comparison: Carlos Hyde. Moss reminds me of Hyde. Both had a mix of power, quickness, and the bell-cow ability to handle a big work load. I think Moss could be a better version of Hyde in the NFL.
RELATED LINKS:
2020 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s
2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
2024 NFL Mock Draft - April 16
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