J’Mon Moore Could be Gutekunst’s Biggest Bargain
You really need to watch this J’Mon Moore highlight reel from the 2017 season:
If you didn’t notice, Moore wasn’t playing against patsies. The Tigers played the likes of Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Texas, South Carolina and Purdue last season. Due to their dynamic pass attack, Missou finished third in the SEC East and went to a bowl game against Texas.
Based on that highlight reel, my perspective has become: what’s not to like about this guy? Here’s what the critics say:
- Limited route-runner experience
- Tested slower than expected
- Questionable focus and drive
- Drops and lapses in play
So, despite lacking focus and drive, he put together back-to-back seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards, while playing in only 12 and 13 games. I’d take that kind of inconsistency any time.
Lapses in play? The guy has shown the consistency of a Swiss watch: 16.3 and 16.6 yards per catch in his junior and senior years; 84.3 and 83.2 yards per game; eight and 10 touchdown receptions.
Slow? Okay, his NFL combine time was 4.6, but I didn’t see anyone catching him from behind on that tape, and I didn’t see him having problems separating from defenders. He also got behind the defense to reel in a bunch of deep throws. He’s quick and twitchy. If his dash time is not misleading (17th percentile), here are some compensating marks: 3-cone drill, 96th percentile; 20-yard shuttle, 88th; vertical jump, 81st; and bench press, 93rd (23). His height, wingspan and arm length are all 75th percentile or better. These are great numbers for a player possessing such size and muscle.
Route-running? I saw plenty of crisp and athletic moves on those tapes. Don’t you love it when route-running is criticized in a guy who does nothing but get open and make catches over a two-year stretch? And he’s done this while being thrown to by Drew Lock, a “divisive” player who has heeded the advice of an NFL advisory panel that urged him to stay in college in 2018 for his senior year.
Highlight reels don’t show drops, so I can’t comment on that, but Moore displayed supple hands on the passes I viewed and he also uses them routinely and effectively on stiff-arming would-be tacklers.
The Packers selected Moore in the fourth round, followed by two more receivers: South Florida’s Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the fifth and Notre Dame’s Equanimeous St. Brown in the sixth. Though Moore was chosen 74 players ahead of St. Brown, Pro Football Focus ranked St. Brown the ninth-best receiver in the draft and Moore the 20th. Walter Football had the Notre Damer ranked the sixth-best, but Moore 31st and Valdes-Scantling 37th. Those are huge differences of opinions.
By the way, though Moore’s height is 6’ 2 5/8”, he’s dwarfed by Valdes-Scantling (6’4”) and St. Brown (6’ 4 ¾”) – who are exceeded by Michael Clark among the Packers’ current crop of receivers (6’ 6”).
It’s going to be a wide open battle among these three, Geronimo Allison, Trevor Davis, DeAngelo Yancey and Clark. If the Packers keep six receivers (including Davante Adams and Randall Cobb), then at least three of these other guys won’t make the final roster.
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The key point here is if we keep six WRs, will there be a plan in place to actually play them and create potential matchup problems? Or will we see the same guys, play after play, regardless of what the defense shows? Will the offensive system be made more “user friendly”, so guys can jump in and contribute right away?
Good point. Remember the “old” days when everyone remarked how Rodgers spread the ball around and hit so many completions with so many multiple targets? The thing that kept so many defenses off balance was how things were spread around so successfully and so many different pass catchers were targeted. Almost every WR, TE, and RB seemed to touch a pass at some point in a game to the point of about a dozen or more players were showing up on the stat sheet with a catch or two at least.
What happened?
MM has gone with a hurry up no huddle offense for much of the past few years and has had limited personnel groupings. Hopefully that strategy is over with this year.
Moore ran a 4.48 at his pro day. Moore Indicated he did not understand where the start line was at the combine? I don’t watch the combine so I don’t know if that is correct? Many said Moore’s combine time was a lot slower than what Moore showed during games.
Clark should try to beef up a lot. if he already hasn’t tried, and see how TE fits. Clark is raw as a WR maybe give TE a shot.
I don’t know….but if i’m performing at the combine for NFL teams and i don’t know where the start line is…i’m asking someone, watching other runners, or using my college education and figuring it out.
The good thing is Moore said it was his mistake. Scouts had problems with Moore other than his speed. Drops that Moore admits, and the type of offense were Moore plays only one receiver position. http://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article206422069.html
The same thing every year, right after every draft….(look back at it)
We drafted all the right future Pro-Bowl players….until, we didn’t.
Every year, without fail.
What these players did in college is now meaningless. We can look at everyone’s college highlight reel and see a 1st rounder. These kids are now about to enter a new world. Lets wait and see who can ball, and who can’t.
It’s the beat writer’s work to create this kind of hype for the new guys, like how the newly acquired CBs are going to lock down any passing game. Didn’t we hear very nice things about Trevor Davis and his burner speed, or … Janis’s speed and length? But I totally agree that it is more down to earth to accept that their college feats are behind them now, and the pro level is a different deal.
A friend of mine that is a Notre Dame fan (And bears fan) said the packers got an absolute steal with Brown
I probably have seen almost every broadcast ND game, or at least parts for years. Not so sure about Brown. Brown did disappear for big stretches this year. I’m fairly certain Kelly the ND head coach turned over play call duties this year to a new OC. With new QB(s) that did hurt. The passing game was uglier than normal this year.
I still question why Brown did not run any drills at the combine or pro day except the 40. It is like going for a job interview and refusing to answer multiple questions, not once but twice. I believe that could have been a reason Brown dropped one or two rounds or more. ND players tend to be hyped over there real value.
I don’t put much stock in Joe six pack saying we got a steal. I know i’ve said this a hundred times, but it’s a step up to the NFL and it’s a new world for these kids, they have to prove they belong in the NFL. A lot of times that’s easier said than done. Most of these kids go from being the big man on Campus and the hero at their schools….to bottom of the rung, praying they get a roster spot.
Scouts in their pre-draft reports get it wrong sometimes. But the majority of the time they call a player right.
Whatever his 40 time was he surely didn’t look like he had a problem with speed. McCarthy must have seen that behind the line of scrimmage pass to Moore and started salivating. He’s going to start calling it once every four pass plays.
The thing that worries me the most ab
About This draft class is that virtually everyone loved it. Which usually isn’t a good thing. It got an elite grade from PFF
It was a good draft on paper and only time will tell. Only thing for certain is this season’s D will be better than last seasons.
Yes, on paper we are poised for a SB run, and our rookies are going to light it up.
Is it just me or does it seem like the Packers got away from drafting prospects from lesser known schools this year? Also not a lot of players were drafted who were tweeners or position changers.
It does. I don’t know that I am necessarily against drafting players from small schools. I mean, Jerry Rice came from Mississippi Valley St, Ken Anderson came from Augustana, Khalil Mack came from Buffalo. Demarcus Ware came from Troy. It is all about projecting a player and his skillset to the NFL.
One thing Green Bay did win, the names of the receivers they drafted have to some of the most original I remember. Does that mean anything regarding draft grades?