2021 NFL Draft: Scouting the dynamic Rondale Moore

2021 NFL Draft: Scouting Report for Purdue Wide Receiver Rondale Moore

2021 NFL Draft prospect Rondale Moore took the Big Ten by storm in 2018 after Purdue’s upset win against Ohio State.

Moore had 12 catches for 170 yards, and two touchdowns in the winning effort. In his freshman season, he ended with a total of 114 catches,  1,258 yards, and 12 touchdowns. As a true freshman, he earned a first-team all-Big Ten honors and was also voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year to go along with it.

2019 was a different year for Moore. He only suited up in four games before injuring his hamstring, which caused him to miss the rest of the season. The former 4-star recruit was able to put together some tremendous stat lines before the injury. One of which included 13 catches, 220 yards, and a touchdown against Vanderbilt.

The good news for Purdue fans is that Moore should be healthy and ready to go this season. Which, subsequently, is also bad news for the rest of the Big Ten.

To start, Moore has elite speed. Not only that, but combine it with his footwork, and route-running ability, and you have a dangerous offensive weapon on your hand. He can also break defenders’ ankles, and put them in the spin cycle. Moore is the type of player that if you give him an inch, he will turn it into a mile. En route to the end zone.

The 2018 Big Ten leader in receiving yards also has a nice release and is strong enough to not get pressed off of the line of scrimmage. Even after the catch, it still takes a couple of defenders to bring him down. His tremendous balance also helps him to stay on his feet.

The only knock on Moore would be his size. Moore is small for a receiver at only 5’9″. He has tremendous leaping ability, but his size makes it hard for him to come down with the ball. His hands aren’t the best either. He oftentimes relies on catching the ball more with his body than his hands. He’s must learn how to fix those problems before he gets to the NFL.

Player Comparison: Tyreek Hill, Chiefs

Moore might not be as fast as Tyreek Hill, but then again I don’t think anyone is as fast as ‘The Cheetah’. Like Hill, Moore is undersized but has blazing speed. Both players are able to open the field up with their quickness. PFF’s Mike Renner also made a comparison between the two. This thread showcases the similarities between the two speedsters.

Moore has also been used similarly to how Hill has been used in Kansas City. When the Chiefs had Alex Smith starting, Hill would move around the field many times to create the perfect mismatch.

They would also get him involved on almost every play. Andy Reid would call short and screen passes mainly to get Hill into space to make a play. Both players even got a couple carries on end-around plays.

Now with Patrick Mahomes, Hill is used mostly as a deep threat. But that’s mainly because of  Mahomes’ cannon-like arm. Hill is the perfect compliment for a QB of that nature. And, Moore has done that many times in his career, too.

It will depend a lot on who Moore’s quarterback is, and the playbook to determine what type of receiver Moore will be used as. NFL scouts will also get a better read of Moore if he can stay on the field in 2020. Moore has a true chance to be the first Boilermaker drafted in the first round since Ryan Kerrigan in 2011.