WR Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
HEIGHT: 5-9
WEIGHT: 184
HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL): Fort Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas)
247 RATING: .9205
STARS: 4
YEAR: Junior
POSITION RANK: 18
CAREER
Receiving: 103 catches, 1,248 yards (12.1 ypc), 8 touchdowns
2019
Receiving: 67 catches, 850 yards (12.7 ypc), 6 touchdowns
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Elijah Moore Breakdown
One play made Elijah Moore infamous in the Not Top 10 category, and it was one he probably wishes he could have back. His penalty for excessive celebration in the Egg Bowl moved the game-tying extra point attempt back, and the kick sailed wide to give Mississippi State the win. While that one play will stick with him forever, there’s more to his game than that, and he gives Ole Miss a solid option at receiver.
First and foremost, Moore’s a master technician in route running. He knows the details of getting open with his routes over relying on his physical traits. It’s good that he does this because he’s not the fastest player on the field. Moore sets up defenders first with a great release off the snap, and that forces defenders to open their hips. He’s great at dropping his weight when making cuts to get his center of gravity closer to the ground. The ability to stop on a dime give any receiver separation from the defensive back covering them, and Moore might be the best in all of college football at that. He’ll just need someone at quarterback that can get him the ball.
Moore’s great at getting open, but many times it doesn’t matter. Matt Corral and John Rhys Plumlee will battle for the starting quarterback spot, but both must work on their accuracy. Their star receiver had many instances where he gave them a good window to hit him in stride, but poor ball placement put the pass too far ahead or behind him. Throw in that he sometimes struggles with drops and his efforts to get open go to waste more than they should.
The aforementioned penalty was a bad one, but it’s not the first penalty he’s taken. At times, he takes unnecessary penalties that hurt drives, and that can’t happen with a wide receiver. Still, Moore’s one of the best receivers in the country, and his focus on his routes and cuts put him in that category. Lane Kiffin and his new staff inherit a great route runner that can be reliable and has potential to be a great asset again.
