What to know about new Broncos wide receiver David Moore
Sep 28, 2021, 6:40 AM
The Denver Broncos wasted little time adding to the wide receiver room. With K.J. Hamler suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, Denver felt compelled to bring another wide receiver into the building.
On Monday, it was reported by multiple outlets that the Broncos had signed veteran wide receiver David Moore off the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad. Moore was a seventh-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2017 NFL Draft. Coming out of East Central (same university Trinity Benson went to), Moore was seen as a small-school prospect with big upside.
I remember scouting Moore coming out of college and felt he would be a late-round pick who could surprise in the NFL. Over the last few years, Moore has made plays and has 14 career starts. Moore had 35 catches for 417 yards and six touchdowns last year for Seattle. For his career, Moore has 78 catches for 1,163 yards and 13 touchdowns. His touchdown total (13) is more than Courtland Sutton (10) or Tim Patrick (9).
This is a good signing by Broncos general manager George Paton. The Raiders loss is the Broncos gain. Here are my scouting notes on Moore.
***
Plays Larger Than His Size
At a glance, one would think that Moore is 6-foot-3-inches or taller. He’s only 6-feet tall, but plays larger than his size. That’s probably because Moore checks in at 219 pounds.
Moore has size and moves well at that weight. He does a good job of running after the catch and can run through arm tackles because of his strength. In addition to what he can do as a receiver, Moore can also be effective on gadget plays as a runner.
The #Seahawks take elite #RAS athlete David Moore in the 7th Round of the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/NA8SRISG8a
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2017
Moore has a nose for the end zone, and it’s his size/strength combination that helps him pile up the touchdowns. If a pass is contested by a defender, Moore has the strength to rip the ball away. That’s great when coverage is tight near pay dirt, and that’s part of his game which could show up immediately if he gets on the field for the Broncos.
***
Speed Kills
Moore is a larger receiver in terms of weight, but he can still fly down the field. It doesn’t take him long to get up to full speed, and he can take the top off the defense. His timed speed may be 4.4 but his pad speed seems faster – and there were scouts who did time Moore around 4.38 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day.
Not only is Moore fast, but he can change direction and not lose much speed. He doesn’t have to “throttle down” to make a cut, but instead can put one foot in the ground and explode in a different direction.
WIDE OPEN.@DangeRussWilson to David Moore for a 60-yard @Seahawks touchdown! @DmoeSwagg23 #Seahawks
📺: #MINvsSEA on ESPN
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/1EyFLelCig pic.twitter.com/DpB539LcIE— NFL (@NFL) December 3, 2019
Moore has the versatility to line up all over the formation. That means his speed can be utlized outside or from the slot.
***
Late Hands
One of the best things a receiver can have is something scouts call “late hands.” This means a receiver does not tip off the defender when a pass is coming in. Moore will wait until the last possible moment to raise his hands to catch the ball.
Moore has great “my ball” mentality and will go up to get the ball. He can make circus catches seem routine, and he can take a defender by surprise with his late hands and elite-level concentration.
Russ on the money to David Moore 💰
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/QXn2lJM1FL
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 27, 2020
Moore was a trusted target of quarterback Russell Wilson in Seattle. He could quickly earn the trust of Teddy Bridgewater if he gets on the field with the Broncos.
***
Toe Drag Swag
Turn on the tape of Moore, and you’re going to see uncanny field awareness. No matter how close he is to the sideline, Moore knows how to tiptoe and keep both feet inbounds. It’s like he has a radar in his helmet and can contort his body to move the chains.
Moore has toe drag swag and has shown that in multiple plays. He can make catches that are at a high degree of difficulty because of his strong hands but also because of the way his lower body knows where he’s at on the field at all times.
TOE. DRAG. SWAG.
Unbelievable catch from David Moore for the TD!pic.twitter.com/MFFhasWZk7
— PFF (@PFF) September 21, 2020
The signing of Moore is a good one. He’ll have to learn the system, but he’s got starting experience and could be catching passes – big passes – for the Broncos in the near future.
