2021 NFL Draft Wide Receiver Rankings Top Five
5. Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
Size: 5-10, 178
The Good: You know that DeVonta Smith guy for Alabama who won the Heisman? Yeah, Elijah Moore was every bit as good – if not better – over the eight games he played before sitting out the final two. He caught 86 passes for 1,193 yards and eight scores in 2020, hitting Alabama for 143 yards on 11 grabs.
He might not be all that big, but he can fly with sub-4.4 speed to go along with surprising strength for his size. He’s as strong a slot receiver prospect as it gets with the burst to get into the clear – the guy is alway open – and he catches everything.
He’s got the fire, feistiness, and skill to be a true No. 1 target for any NFL passing game.
One of no kind@alecszabo 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WvDKA2xZ8f
— Elijah Moore (@e_moore03) March 26, 2021
The Not-So-Good: The only real knock is his size. Toughness isn’t an issue, and he’s not going to shy away from contact, but he’s just not big enough to outmuscle NFL defensive backs for the ball.
He can jump, and he’ll go and get everything that comes his way, but he’s not all that long and he’ll lose his share of 50/50 balls at the next level.
A bit scheme specific, he was able to produce across coaching staffs, but he was also in receiver-friendly offenses that led to a slew of volume grabs.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Shhhhhhhhhh. This might just be the best wide receiver in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the value is through the roof compared to where some of the bigger brand name guys will go. The Pro Day only confirmed his speed and skills to go along with the relentless and unstoppable production, but he’ll likely drop just a wee bit because he doesn’t have the size or the bulk.
Projected Round: Second