NFL Draft 2018 Scouting Report: WR J’Mon Moore, Missouri

*WR grades can and will change as more information comes in from Pro Day workouts, Wonderlic test results leaked, etc. We will update ratings as new info becomes available.

*WR-B stands for "Big-WR," a classification we use to separate the more physical, downfield/over-the-top, heavy-red-zone-threat-type WRs. Our WR-S/"Small-WRs" are profiled by our computer more as slot and/or possession-type WRs who are less typically physical and rely more on speed/agility to operate underneath the defense and/or use big speed to get open deep...they are not used as weapons in the red zone as much. 

Here’s the scouting dilemma with J’Mon Moore, and it’s frustrating to watch…

At his best, Moore is one of the 2-3 best WR talents in this draft. However, at his worst, Moore is plagued bydrop issues, showed a few petulant outbursts, and just disappeared from games. When you see him ‘at his best’, you get excited…watching just a highlight tape of him is dangerous. Sadly, Moore spends too much of his time ‘at his worst’, and that makes him a perplexing prospect for the NFL.

I’m going to show some of the issues in the statistical section of this report, but first let me report on what I saw on tape…

‘At his best’ – he looks like A.J. Green, at times. He has tremendously fast feet off the snap (his stunning agility times at the Combine are real in pads). Penn State WR DaeSean Hamilton is amazing off the snap…virtually uncoverable with how fast he can dart in different directions from a standstill. J’Mon Moore is right there with him – at about 4 inches taller and 30+ pounds bigger than Hamilton.

Moore can get open just about anytime he wants, and he has NFL tools with his size, speed, strength, agility…he has ‘A’ skills…’at his best’. The problem is Moore isn’t ‘at his best’ often enough.

Moore has battled self-admitted drop issues throughout his career. He battled a fumble issue in 2016 (3 lost fumbles in a season is odd for a WR not returning kicks/punts). He’s drawn attention to himself off the field withcontroversial incidents…mouthing off about the refs and his involvement in some of the student protests to oust Missouri’s President back in 2015. He’s not a bad person or bad WR because of these things, BUT I would submit that these are things NFL evaluators will be looking at/marking him down on…and, to me, it seems like Moore is more passionate about complaining than honing his craft – just my own observation. I’m worried Moore is a lot of talk and little action.

J’Mon ran most of his routes/had a bunch of his catches down the sidelines at Missouri. He didn’t show a great ability to turn inside and make sure catches and take hits…although he’s built for that. He could be a star in the NFL at beating his man quickly and making reliable catches for 3-5-10 yards per clip. Moore just hasn’t shown that penchant, desire, or skill. He seems more in love with big plays downfield – and he’s not fast enough for that in the NFL, per se (a 4.60 runner). He’s better in a short game with his ultra-quick feet…but his mind wants to be downfield. He’s like DeVante Parker in that way – super-talented when there is no defense or in shorts/T-shirt…but folds up in tough coverage.

You watch him against Auburn in 2017...or Georgia or Tennessee (teams with top DB prospects) and Moore didn’t step up/take over games – and he played on a team that threw a lot, so no excuse for him to have flimsy numbers. Aside from a play or a game here and there…Moore gives a pretty weak ROI compared to what he could/should.

Moore has so much talent it makes him a worthy draft pick…the kind you draft with lesser expectations and try to re-wire his mind for NFL greatness. There are not many with his size and raw skill. However, he’s more likely to fall in with the wrong crowd or half-ass it, so that’s the risk…and why he’ll be drafted later than he could’ve been.

J’Mon Moore, Through the Lens of Our WR Scouting Algorithm:

Facing the aforementioned -- Auburn, Georgia, and Tennessee trio in 2017…2.0 catches for 24.0 yards and 0.67 TDs per game against them.

Facing the very tough Texas defense in their 2017 bowl game – 5 catches for 65 yards and no TDs.

In his last 22 games, Moore has 16 TD catches. Half of those TDs came in three games with FCS Delaware State (4), Missouri State (2) and D1 UConn (2). His best game of 2017 was an 11 catch, 174 yards, and 1 TD effort against Idaho. Moore rose up against FCS teams and bad D1 out-of-conference foes. He was much quieter in the SEC…good/OK, but quiet.

In his last 15 SEC games, Moore has been under 40 yards receiving in a game 7 times.

Facing six bowl teams in 2017 (including their bowl game), Moore averaged a mediocre 3.5 catches, 59.3 yards, 0.40 TDs per game. BUT against non-bowl teams in 2017: 6.3 catches, 114.0 yards, 1.14 TDs per game (when people watch these particular games ‘at his best’ and think ‘this is Moore’…it’s a potential trap).

The whole pattern of Moore’s college performance is erratic outputs and mediocrity against better teams.

2018 NFL Combine Measurables…

6’2.5”/207, 32.87” arms, 9.38” hands

4.60 40-time, 2.72 20-yard, 1.64 10-yard, 4.04 shuttle, 6.56 three-cone

21 bench reps, 38.0” vertical, 10’0” broad jump

The Historical WR Prospects to Whom J’Mon Moore Most Compares Within Our System:

Further adding to the confusion…the comps for Moore are a mix of exciting and disappointing players…more ‘exciting’, so it kinda wants to suck you in on Moore. There’s a legit logic to betting on the come with J’Mon…while knowing it could be a dead end road.

*A score of 7.0+ is where we start to take a Big-WR prospect more seriously. A score of 8.50+ is where we see a stronger correlation of a Big-WR going on to become NFL good/great/elite. A score of 10.00+ is more rarefied air in our system and indicates a greater probability of becoming an elite NFL Big-WR.

All of the WR ratings are based on a 0–10 scale, but a player can score negative, or above a 10.0 in certain instances.

Overall WR score = A combination of several on-field performance measures, including refinement for strength of opponents faced. Mixed with all the physical measurement metrics, rated historically in our database.

“Power-Strength” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding physical size profiling, bench press strength, etc.  High scorers here project to be more physical, better blockers, and less injury-prone.

“Speed-Agility” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding speed, agility, physical size, mixed with some on-field performance metrics. High scorers here project to have a better YAC and show characteristics to be used as deep threats/to create separation.

“Hands” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding on-field performance in college, considering the strength of opponents played. Furthermore, this data considers some physical profiling for hand size, etc. High scorers here have a better track record of college statistical performance, and overall this projects the combination of performance and physical data for the next level.

2018 NFL Draft Outlook:

Moore is projected to go middle of the draft, and that makes sense. He has the upside of a top 50 prospect but too often plays like a late-round flier.

If I were an NFL GM, I’d have an eye on Moore…and the more he fell in the draft, the more my trigger fingerwould get itchy. Not a lot of guys with his size and agility and quick feet off the snap out there. I know I’d be in for a 2-3 year makeover, but the payoff could be something.

NFL Outlook:   

He’ll get taken by a team with no expectations of him to be an instant starter but taken high enough where they’re invested in him. It will take 2-3 years of adding 5-7 more pounds of muscle and really training him to be a professional WR. He could land with Arizona and get a year or two of training from Larry Fitzgerald and have his life changed. Or he could go to Jacksonville and be lost for four years. 

3/19/2018