Denver Broncos select Riley Moss in 3rd round of 2023 NFL Draft
Riley Moss made life hard on opposing receivers in college at Iowa, and now he’ll aim to do the same in the NFL. The Denver Broncos are counting on him to do so, taking him in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Moss spent the past five seasons with the Hawkeyes and was a starter at cornerback each of the past three years. He earned numerous accolades in that span including Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2021 after recording 39 tackles, four interceptions and five passes defended.
Moss was named a team captain this past season and went on to earn first team All-Big Ten honors. He was part of an Iowa defense that ranked sixth in the FBS in passing yards allowed per game (169.5) and tied for 19th in interceptions per game (1.1). Moss finished the season with 47 tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles and a team-high 11 passes defended.
An Iowa native, Moss played high school football for Ankeny Centennial, where he was a three-star prospect. He ranked as the No. 2,771 overall player and No. 266 cornerback in the 2018 class according to the On3 Industry Rating, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Moss originally committed to play for North Dakota State in the FCS, but flipped his commitment to Iowa when the Hawkeyes started recruiting him as a senior. He immediately made an impact as a true freshman, appearing in 13 games with five starts.
What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Riley Moss
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided some insight on Moss in his recent scout of the cornerback’s draft profile. He compared him to cornerback Ross Cockrell, who won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.
Zierlein praised Moss for his instincts and added that he has good size and strength, but raised questions about his speed. Ultimately, he sees his ceiling as carving out a role as a backup.
“An instinctive cornerback with good size and play strength, Moss will need to prove he has the speed and durability needed for the next level,” the analyst wrote. “He has issues recovering quickly when beaten from press or at route breaks. Ballhawking instincts and soft hands are a big part of his game, as is his physicality at the catch point and as a tackler. He has CB3/4 potential in a zone-based defense, but could find reps at safety in the future if a team believes he has the frame for it.”