Elijah Moore Can Be Just What the Jets Need
The New York Jets have a need for perimeter playmakers, and they have been addressing that need all offseason. They continued to do so by taking Elijah Moore 34th overall Friday in the second round of the draft.
Moore balled out in his final two seasons at Ole Miss, posting target shares of 35.2% (2019) and 30.4% (2020), according to PlayerProfiler. He ranked in the 96th percentile for best single-season target share and had a college dominator rating in the 91st percentile. He was primarily a slot receiver for the Rebels, and he had the most yards from the slot in college football since the start of 2019, per PFF.
Moore is the latest addition to the Jets' receiver room as Gang Green added Corey Davis and Keelan Cole in free agency.
What should we expect from Moore in the pros?
Player Comparisons
numberFire's JJ Zachariason and Jim Sannes break down Moore's profile, and JJ gives his top comparison.
"He's one of my favorite prospects in this draft" @LateRoundQB is high on the newest weapon for the Jets offense #TakeFlight | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/AjPC0W9qZj
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) April 30, 2021
Brandon Gdula's draft database has found these 10 prior prospects to have the most similar statistical profiles to Moore. Keep in mind that these are based not on play style or traits but age, athleticism, draft equity, experience, efficiency, and production.
Elijah Moore Profile Comparisons | Similarity |
---|---|
Andy Isabella | 94.3% |
Tyler Lockett | 92.7% |
Tutu Atwell | 88.5% |
Marqise Lee | 87.3% |
Marquise Brown | 87.1% |
Kendall Wright | 87.0% |
John Brown | 86.7% |
Jamison Crowder | 86.7% |
Rondale Moore | 86.4% |
Jaelon Darden | 86.2% |
Gdula's Take: Moore is a top-15 prospect in my model (dating back to 2003) despite size concerns due to his 98th-percentile market share and efficiency. He also broke out early at Ole Miss.
Moore's 2021 Fantasy Football Projection
Zachariason's initial projections for Moore include 54 catches, 636 yards and 4.1 touchdowns, making him the PPR WR67 for the 17-game season.
Moore's top-notch prospect profile should give him a chance to make a fantasy football impact early in his career, but his ceiling will likely be capped in 2021 unless Zach Wilson really hits the ground running.
On FanDuel Sportsbook, the Jets are listed at +10000 to win the Super Bowl (the third-worst odds) and +1500 to take the AFC East, and they have a win total projection of 6.5 -- with -162 on the under -- on FOX Bet.