Elijah Moore makes PFFs top-five rookie receiver with most importance
Elijah Moore could see a lot of playing time in his rookie year for the New York Jets. As training camp has rolled on, he looks to be an important piece in New York’s passing game. And according to Pro Football Focus, if Moore were to go down this season, his absence would be somewhat difficult for The Jets to overcome. Moore rounds out the list of rookie receivers whose absence could affect their team’s performance on the field.
Moore potential role in New York
Unlike the other guys featured on this list, Elijah Moore is viewed as more of a slot receiver to start off his career. However, given the time to hone his craft, he could be a solid first option. PFF had this take on him coming into the draft.
“PFF’s lead draft analyst Mike Renner labeled Moore as the best slot receiver in the class after putting up over 1,700 receiving yards when lined up inside since 2019 — more than any other player in college football. His combination of sure hands, toughness, and speed is ideal for the position. There’s a good chance he becomes “Moore” than a slot-only guy in the NFL,” they wrote.
Moore’s 5-foot-9, 178-pound frame is not what the Jets are currently looking for with their outside wide receivers. Plus, the Jets have a trio of big body receivers in Keelan Cole, Corey Davis, and last year’s pick Denzel Mims to handle those duties. Not to mention, The Jets have veteran receiver Jamison Crowder primarily in the slot. So initially it did not appear as if Moore could have more of a role in the offense. But early contract disputes between the team and Crowder left an opening for him to display what he could do. According to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, “The more they asked him to do, the more they found out he could do.”
How he helps Zach Wilson
The slot position is key to the development of young quarterbacks. They typically handle short routes and over-the-middle routes. And those routes can help get a quarterback in rhythm. With The Jets handing over the reins to rookie and likely week one starter Zach Wilson, Moore could end up being his favorite target. If that ends up being the case, you can see why losing him would hurt the Jet’s plans for this season. PFF summed up Moore’s offseason like this.
“Moore entered camp with no guarantee at a starting job with Davis, Cole, and Denzel Mims outside to go along with a returning Crowder in the slot,” they wrote. “However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to imagine that Moore won’t have a starting job when Week 1 gets here, as he could end up being Zach Wilson’s top target in 2021.”
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