D.J. Moore, the Hometown Hero
D.J. Moore is a prospect who has been frequently linked to the Baltimore Ravens. It’s no surprise the wide receiver-needy Ravens are interested in Moore, as the team saw him first hand at the University of Maryland. Moore is known as a quick and speedy receiver, capable of making amazing plays. Moore had a breakout season in 2017, receiving for 1033 yards. Before that season, in 2016 he caught 637 yards worth of passes, and in 2015, he caught for just 357 yards. Moore’s stock also rose significantly after his stellar performance at the NFL Combine. With the current state of the Ravens wide receiver corps, Moore could add a whole new dimension to the offense.
D.J. Moore’s Strengths
To reiterate, D.J. Moore is a very fast wide receiver. His game speed is one of the best visually, and his 40 yard dash time of 4.42 seconds at the combine reinforces this. To go with his speed, D.J. Moore is very shifty. He uses his elusiveness to elude tacklers, and escape coverage. When Moore catches the football, he always has the ability to extend the play through RAC, run after catch, yards. Moore puts in a lot of effort on the field and is considered a great teammate by his peers. He gives it his all, and will attempt things that many other wide receivers won’t. He’s very good at the sideline, toe-tapping plays, and can jump very high on 50/50 balls. Moore is also extremely valuable in the running attack, as he is a very physical blocker. He holds his blocks with great strength, and holds them for a very long time. Finally, Moore is very much a threat as a kick and punt returner. He shined as a Terrapin, and will continue to shine in the NFL.
D.J. Moore’s Weaknesses
Despite Moore’s great abilities, he does have a few weaknesses. First and foremost is his issues with catching. Although he has the ability to make great plays, he does not always utilize it. He will often times fail to catch a ball in traffic, despite all the physicality he puts into the play. Moore is also bad at tracking the ball. Often times, he would not be able to predict the precise location of where the ball would be, leading to an incompletion. Moore is slightly undersized at wide receiver. He stands at barely 6 feet tall, but is 210 lbs. This doesn’t play well when trying to fight through tackles. Most of the time, Moore will fall to the ground after just one hit.
Impressions
D.J. Moore is a very talented wide receiver that the Ravens undoubtedly have a lot of interest in. However, I’m not sure how well he would fit into Baltimore’s offense. The Ravens have always appreciated fast receivers, but the team has tried to move towards players who are reliable when it comes time to catch. Moore is shakey, to say the least when it comes to this. The Ravens already have a speedster wide receiver in John Brown, and to add D.J. Moore may not help the offense that much. There will be other options at pick sixteen this year for the Ravens. The team may opt to choose another wide receiver, a tight end, or even an offensive lineman.
The Verdict
When rating D.J. Moore, I gave him a 7.2/10.0 prospect grade. He is a very talented wide receiver, but I am concerned about his lack of ability to catch difficult passes. With time, I do believe he can be a solid wide receiver in the NFL, but currently, the Ravens can’t afford to draft him. It is just not worth Baltimore’s time to risk their first-round selection on a receiver who may not pan out in the NFL. If it came down to D.J. Moore and Calvin Ridley, I would much prefer the team to take Ridley. The Ravens could also add an offensive lineman, like tackle Mike McGlinchy, instead of Moore. If Moore slides into the second round, where his true value is then the Ravens should absolutely draft him. If not, however, Baltimore should pass.
