Bears rookie wide receiver Darnell Mooney has already outplayed his 2020 NFL Draft slot, when he was picked by Chicago in the fifth round, No. 173 overall.
Mooney has overtaken Anthony Miller as the team’s No. 2 receiver and is the second-highest graded pass-catcher on the team, per Pro Football Focus, behind just Allen Robinson.
Mooney’s been praised since training camp as a rookie who approaches the game like a veteran, a sentiment that passing-game coordinated Dave Ragone reiterated Tuesday.
“Even times when he’s out there, you don’t realize he’s a rookie — that’s the biggest compliment I can give him as a guy who has been around a little bit,” Ragone said. “You just see him as a player who can help us. His detail to route-running and how he runs his routes — the sky’s the limit in terms of his ability to win one-on-one matchups.”
Mooney, who fell in the 2020 draft because of size concerns (he weighs just 175 pounds), hasn’t had any problems getting open against NFL defensive backs. His 4.38 speed keeps cornerbacks on their heels, and when combined with his top-shelf route-running, it’s a lethal set of skills for a player who’s only five games into his career.
Mooney’s been targeted 25 times so far this season. He’s registered 15 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown.