2022 NFL Draft: 5 Players to watch in Iowa vs Penn State game
By Evan Bruner
2022 NFL Draft prospects to watch: Cornerback Riley Moss
Iowa’s secondary is a sound unit that lacks a true superstar presence. Since the departure of Thorpe award finalist Josh Jackson in 2017, the Hawkeyes have relied more on their depth at the unit than contributions from one specific player. This makes it had to project which Hawkeye cornerback will have the most success at the NFL level, but the steady growth of Riley Moss is getting harder to ignore.
Moss was a state champion hurdler in high school and his blazing speed is evident in his ability to close on the ball. Additionally, Moss shows great ball skills recording multiple interceptions in all four of his seasons with Iowa. This combination of speed and ball skills has translated to some big plays for the Hawkeye defense, including three interceptions returned for touchdowns since the start of 2020 for Moss.
Moss shows good instincts at times when he is able to jump routes to break up passes, but there are also times where he doesn’t. Earlier this season against Kent State, Moss was beaten deep downfield multiple times while he had his eyes in the backfield.
Moss has held his own against the likes of Rashod Bateman and other Big Ten receivers over his time at Iowa. Shutting down Jahan Dotson will be a challenging task, but a strong performance on such a big stage would do a lot for a player whose draft status is still up in the air.
Current projection: Third round