I’m boasting a bit, but I’ll be pitting our group of NFL Draft analysts (Chris Pflum, Nick Falato, Mark Schofield, Joe DeLeone and Football Gameplan video contributor Emory Hunt) against just about anyone who doesn’t work at NFL.com or ESPN.
We’ve got Chris’s excellent, in-depth prospect profiles, Chris, Joe, and Nick’s podcasts, other features and analysis from Nick, Mark’s insights on quarterback play and a ton of other stuff, and Emory’s video breakdowns on our YouTube channel. Oh, and a few contributions to the concept coverage of yours, really.
In the coming weeks leading up to the concept, I want to take advantage of the talent we have here at Big Blue View by posting weekly discussion questions about the “round table”.
Our first question concerns a comparison of the Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and the Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore.
The question:
Highly respected concept analyst Tony Pauline [Pro Football Network] Recently wrote that some concept analysts, including Pauline, and more importantly some NFL talent evaluators, think Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore is a better NFL prospect than Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle. Do you agree or disagree with that sentiment? As an extension, given his injury history, how early in the draft would you feel comfortable selecting Moore?
Chris Pflum
Is Rondale Moore a better prospect than Jaylen Waddle? Is Tony dazed and confused? Did he surrender to that sweet leaf? I have a lot of love for Moore, but his injury history makes Waddle look like an iron man. And … Okay, okay. That’s enough to fool Tony and his famous love for classic rock (namely Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath). On to the question at hand: Jaylen Waddle vs. Rondale Moore.
There is no doubt that Moore can be an electric playmaker in the NFL. Its agility, stop / start speed, explosiveness and speed make it a problem for almost any defender. Moore can shed a slice of daylight and make a game-changing game every time he touches the ball. But Waddle can too, and the differences in how they got those touches is the difference in the players to me. Waddle is an all-round player for Alabama, playing as a runner, in the short and intermediate areas, and as a vertical receiver. I noticed some understated subtlety in Waddle’s play as a receiver, playing with his routes to maximize separation or carrying speed through his pauses, as well as locating, tracking and adapting to the ball. It is also noticeable that Waddle is a good blocker, and not just for a smaller receiver. There were multiple instances where Najee Harris and DeVonta Smith both ran behind Waddle’s blocks for a nice distance. I didn’t see Moore play “receiver” nearly that often. Purdue went to great lengths to craft details and space that Moore could work in – they’re no stupid – many of which were like a runner on jet sweeps. But even most of his receptions came within three (or so) yards of the scrimmage line. Likewise, I didn’t see the same positional ability in Moore’s game as I did in Waddle’s game. Moore seemed happy as defenders “outside the athletes” and also seemed unable to locate, track and adapt the ball.
Of course I have to make my standard caveat: I don’t have the contacts or competence insights that people like Tony Pauline have. If they move Moore up and waddle down, they probably have a legitimate reason. There may be questions as to why Waddle didn’t take a bigger part in the crime (and answers that go beyond Alabama’s shame for wealth). Moore’s injury history is certainly concerning, but it’s also straightforward. A hamstring injury, finger surgery, an unspecified “lower body” injury have all conspired to limit Moore to just 4 and 3 games in the past two seasons. But injuries are easier to understand and rationalize away when compared to potential intangible questions.
Within my limitations, I have to rate Waddle as the better candidate. Moore has the potential to be a star in the NFL, and I wouldn’t have a problem with a team selecting him in the second half of the first round, but it should be in the right situation with the right attacking mind to maximize his skills. But his injury history makes him much more of a “boom / bust” prospect for me. How useful is a player if you can’t count on him for the (overwhelming) majority of the season? That uncertainty should lower his mark for an entire lap to something like a late second or early third lap. Missing with a pick in the second or third round hurts, but not nearly as much as losing a (potentially high) first round.
Mark Schofield
Jaylen Waddle is an impressive threat in the field.
Rondale Moore is an explosive athlete.
Both players have a bright NFL future, but for what the New York Giants need right now, I think Waddle is a better fit. I like Waddle as a threat on a vertical passing attack, and if you need convincing play his game against Missouri. It’s one of those games that has almost become legendary in exploration circles. Then imagine that the Giants’ offense involved perhaps an acquisition in free agency. We know that Daniel Jones has shown his ability to push the ball down – and perhaps more importantly, a willingness – and that suggests that Waddle is schematically an ideal match.
Moore, in a way, reminds me of Laviska Shenault Jr. from last season, a player I loved. But also someone with an injury history, and someone for whom you have to make offensive touches. That kind of player can be a welcome addition to many fouls, but with what the Giants are doing on that side of football, the scheme may be a bit more of a puzzle than anything else.
Nick Falato
Both players have an insane amount of explosiveness. Waddle seems to have an extra gear when defenders feel like they ‘have a corner’. Rondale Moore’s ability to accelerate, stop and start, while also cutting sideways, is incredible. Both have great hips and both will be impact players in the NFL.
However, I feel more comfortable with Waddle for a few reasons. I love Moore, but the nagging lower body injuries have led to many missed games. His touches are also more crafted than anything else – lots of touches near or behind the line of scrimmage just to get him into space. That’s not necessarily his fault, and it doesn’t mean he can’t be a vertical threat if given the chance, but Waddle has already shown off loads of unique skills in downfield reception and route planning.
Moore didn’t have to win as many disputed catches as Waddle. Both players have an incredible ability to play; I just feel like Waddle has shown more true receiving qualities and may be a bit explosive (which says a lot
As for Moore, he’s small in stature (5-9), but he actually has very good contact balance for a player weighing 180 pounds. His skills should work all over the NFL, but some teams may not maximize him as well as others – unfortunately, I think the Giants are one of those teams. Jason Garrett’s play-calling is a lot more about running route drafts going to the first down, instead of getting playmakers out into space and, you know, letting them play.
Garrett is a smart kid and I’m sure he would adapt, but the vertical element of Waddle’s game makes me feel a bit comfortable, especially with Daniel Jones, who hasn’t been shy about throwing it deep. Waddle isn’t just a big threat; He’s very good from below, can suddenly get off the leash well and blocks with tenacity – sounds like a Joe Judge type of guy. In general, when healthy, both players are impact NFL receivers to be selected on day one. I’m more satisfied with Waddle at the moment, but Moore’s skill is evident.
A
Valentine’s Day view
I can certainly understand why anyone watching a Rondale Moore movie gets turned on. The young man is absolutely electric with the ball in his hands. However, I cannot understand the idea of selecting Moore before Jaylen Waddle.
Check out what Moore did to Ohio State in 2018 and don’t forget to get your jaw off the floor. That was an incredible display of play and athleticism against one of the best approaches college football can offer to an NFL caliber defense.
The problem is that it was in 2018. Moore only played four games in 2019 due to a hamstring injury and three games in 2020 due to a ‘lower body’ injury (this is not hockey, why wouldn’t Purdue just tell us what the injury was?).
I’m just a believer that guys who show in college that they are vulnerable to injury aren’t suddenly going to become 16-game entrants in the NFL year-in-year-out. The grind is longer and the competition is bigger, faster and more physical. At five feet tall, the 180-pound Moore is small, but not short. He is rock hard and muscular. Still, injuries are injuries and missing so much time over the past two seasons is a red flag, at least for me.
Plus, you have to take Moore’s garish reception totals (178 in 20 college games, nearly 9 per game) with a grain of salt. A lot of those are kick passes, which are basically jet sweeps in disguise, swinging passes, or quick dump-offs in the flat. All of which are designed for just getting the ball in his hands, which is a great idea, but not necessarily a great receiver.
Moore shows the ability to run some pretty good intermediate routes. It doesn’t give you a ton of disputed catches or even pure vertical routes. His production mainly stems from designed catch-and-run stuff.
Both players have punt and kick-off returns, but Moore’s 6.9 yards per punt return and 19.4 yards per kick-off return pales in comparison to Waddle (19.3 yards per punt return, 23.4 yards per kickoff return.
Waddle did have a broken ankle, but in three seasons he averaged 18.9 yards on 106 catches. He showed the ability to win deep, to make disputed catches and to run routes well enough to win in the intermediate area. He has Moore’s groundbreaking ability, but he’s also a better receiver.
Honestly, I watch Waddle and I think of DeSean Jackson. The Giant killer has not had more than 82 receptions in any of his 13 seasons, but his blazing speed has led to five 1,000-yard seasons, 56 receiving touchdowns and a career average of 17.4 yards per catch. Combined with the return ability he showed early in his career, Jackson has always been one of the most impactful players on the field, even though he was never the best pure receiver.
That’s the kind of career I think Waddle could have.