By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: Moore was one of the breakout players of 2018, making an instant impact for Purdue with some huge plays. Any time the freshman touched the ball, he was a threat to score or produce a long gain, and he totaled 114 receptions for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year. He also took 21 carries for 213 yards and two scores that season. Moore came up with a huge performance to lead the Boilermakers to a tremendous upset over Ohio State as well.
Moore then missed eight games as a sophomore with a hamstring injury and was held to 29 receptions for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Moore initally opted out for 2020 before re-joining Purdue for a few games. For his year, he caught 35 passes for 270 yards plus took six carries for 32 yards and a score.
There is no doubt Moore is a dynamic playmaker who is a threat to score on any touch of the football. He has serious first-step explosion with acceleration to hit the open field and a second gear to run away from the defense. He is a true speed receiver who can score from any place on the field and will be a mismatch in the NFL.
Defenders really struggle to run with Moore, who is extremely fast in a straight line while being sudden and explosive in and out of his cuts. Those things let him create separation from coverage, and he is deadly in the open field. Moore has tremendous yards-after-the-catch ability with his elite speed and elusive moves.
Moore could be limited to being a slot receiver in the NFL because of his size. On some plays, he could line up outside, but he could have issues getting off jams and not getting rerouted when going against bigger and stronger cornerbacks. Given his lack of playing time in college, Moore could stand to refine his route-running for the NFL.
Moore was listed at 180 pounds by Purdue, but he could be smaller than his listed numbers and he should add strength to his frame to help hold up at the NFL level. He enters the league with serious durability concerns due to his lack of time on the field over the past two years. Given his size, a lot of evaluators will question if he can avoid injury as a pro.
To add some added value, Moore could contribute as a returner on special teams. That will also depend on large his role is on offense. If he is a backup receiver, he could be a featured punt and kick returner. If he has a large role on offense, his NFL team will probably protect him from injury and not have him do that on a full-time basis and instead save him for special situations or big games.
Moore could be a second- or third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Player Comparison: Sterling Shepard Moore has a skill set similar to Shepard’s as dangerous slot receivers with the speed to produce big plays. Shepard was a second-round pick and has had issues staying healthy. I could see Moore also going in Round 2 this year and also having problems avoiding injury in the NFL.
RELATED LINKS:
2021 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s
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