Rondale Moore is a 5’7”, 180 pound receiver out of Purdue. That right there is going to turn a lot of people off of having him on their favorite team. What 5’7” receiver has ever been a star in the NFL? Nobody, is the answer. But does that mean that Moore can’t be an above average NFL player? It does not.
Moore, as you would expect, is a speedster, clocking a 4.29 40. As a freshman, he led Purdue and the nation with 114 receptions. He also put up 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns. This doesn’t happen for freshman all that often and is usually a good predictor of NFL value.
Since then, Moore has dealt with hamstring injuries, limiting him to 6.5 games over the last two seasons. Amazingly, he caught 64 passes for 657 yards and two touchdowns, adding another touchdown on a ground in that span. The guy is ultra productive when on the field.
Scouting Report
Moore is great in the open field. He becomes a running back with the ball in his hands and has superb instincts after the catch. His size doesn’t allow him to play on the perimeter, so he worked in the slot, where defenders had little chance of covering him in small areas.
He isn’t going to be a Steve Smith type of receiver who can win on the outside, but he has the tenacity of Smith. His drive, coupled with his skills, make it hard not to believe he’ll, at worst, stick in the NFL. His speed, strength, tenacity, and vision will keep offensive coordinators wanting to manufacture touches for him as a receiver and running back.
What are scouts saying?
Tick, tock, boom. Moore is an explosive, fast, elusive, powerful runner who compensates with speed what he lacks for in size. The Indiana native is the ultimate game-changer as a receiver, runner and return man. The agility to cut on a dime and change direction, combined with his powerful running style, allows Moore to make a mockery of would-be tacklers. He had one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in NCAA history, setting a school record 2,215 all-purpose yards, including a single game school record 313 all-purpose yards in his first ever collegiate game versus Ohio State. — NFL Draft Bible
Mock Draft landing spots
The consensus over at NFL Mock Draft Database has Moore going in the first round to the Green Bay Packers with the 29th pick. The majority of mocks have him landing with a team late in the first round, but there is still a real chance he has to wait until the second day due to his size and injury concerns. But the Packers would be the hype spot to be sure. Moore out of the slot with Aaron Rodgers feeding him would have great upside.
Fantasy impact: Rookie year
As usual, rookie year fantasy projections are tough, especially if you don’t know what team they’re on. But, Moore is the kind of player who should get touches early on, as they will likely be manufactured to get him the ball in space and close to the line of scrimmage. If he has Aaron Rodgers getting him the ball, that would be better than Sam Darnold. Also, if he goes in the first round, his draft capital should help his usage early on.
Fantasy impact: Career
Moore’s career upside could start as early as where he is drafted. Putting the first round label on him should give him plenty of chances to establish himself, while pushing his coaches to get him touches. He’s a player who is going to break big plays and be a boost to any offense, but getting him just a handful of looks per game isn’t going to be enough. If he can build momentum with a first round pick, I like his chances to be a useful fantasy player throughout his career.