9. Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 250
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Brycen Hopkins is not the only tight end with NFL genes in this draft class. Thaddeus Moss, son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss, is looking to make the leap to the league after helping LSU win a National Championship. Moss began his career at N.C. State, but transferred to LSU after one season with the Wolfpack.
While he has just one season of production, it was an impressive one as part of Joe Brady’s passing game for the Tigers. Moss caught 47 of 57 targets for 570 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 12.1 yards per reception. He also flashed some flexibility, playing 489 snaps inline but also 125 snaps in the slot for LSU.
Stat to Know: Moss did not have a single drop in 2019.
Strengths: If you want a physical blocker who can put a defensive end on his back before releasing to the flat to catch a checkdown from a quarterback under duress, Moss is your guy. He might be the most physical blocker in this entire group, and he can be dominant both inline and in the wing. Moss is not the most athletic prospect at this position, but he has the footwork as well as enough functional athleticism to operate well both playside and backside on zone blocking designs. When Moss is backside, he is athletic enough to cutblock defensive ends to the turf. He also is extremely adept at chipping defensive ends before releasing into his routes, and Moss loads up for those shots on DEs. His film is replete with clips of him putting an unsuspecting DE on his backside.
As a receiver, Moss is more a “space finder” than a separator. His athleticism as a blocker does not completely translate into winning one-on-one matchups as a receiver, but his physical nature does. There are times when he gets his separation more due to swinging a stray elbow or two rather than crossing someone up on a break. He also does a very good job at finding space in zones, and has some good contact balance after the catch. He will not juke would-be tacklers in the open field, but he might run them over.
We mentioned his hands, but his body control helped make him a national name in LSU’s win over Alabama:
Wow ! Quelle réception de TE Thaddeus Moss !
LSU si proche de mettre Alabama K.O.pic.twitter.com/TC6ykKgryn— TBP College Football (@thebluepennant) November 9, 2019
A reception like that is beautiful in any language.
Weaknesses: What Moss brings to the table in terms of physicality and blocking prowess he cannot match with athleticism and ability as a true receiver. Downfield separation is not his best trait, and he needs to learn how to work back to the football better in man coverage situations. Too many times he let the ball come to him, or simply failed to get open when his quarterback started to scramble. He also lacks the height to be a true red zone mismatch piece. He might be built more like a fullback or an H-Back, so one could consider using him differently in the NFL. That might negate what he brings to the table as an inline blocker, however.
Conclusion: Moss’ ball skills and inline blocking ability harken back to the early 1980s, before the growth of 11 personnel and move tight ends. In another era Moss might be the top tight end of the bunch, with his ability to function more as a sixth offensive lineman for a run-heavy system. In today’s game he is more of a TE2 type of player, who can contribute schematically in the passing game but be a force as a blocker. There is certainly room for that type of player in the league, but it becomes a matter of value.
Comparison: David Morgan. Moss seems similar to the veteran blocking tight end, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Morgan was a devastating blocker, who could contribute at times in the passing game.