Not only is it possible that the Jacksonville Jaguars came away from the selection process of the draft with some big-time contributors, but it’s also possible they may have found some in undrafted free agency. One of them could be former Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses, who went undrafted because of injury concerns surrounding his knee, but showcased great ability when on the field with the Crimson Tide.
Understanding the body of work that Moses put together for his defensive unit better than anyone, Alabama coach Nick Saban told the media that he was shocked that Moses went undrafted, even considering the injuries he’s dealt with.
“It had nothing to do with what kind of football player he is,” Saban said this week. “It was based on medical grades by the teams, which, frankly, was a little surprising to me. In my time in the league, when guys were injured and they came back and played, that usually got out of that 5 medical grade, which is undraftable.
It might have been a 4 medical grade, which means a guy does have an injury, it could be a problem in the future, but he’s come back and played with it so we ought to give him an opportunity, which I certainly think that’s where Dylan Moses should’ve fallen for sure and should’ve gotten an opportunity because he played all season long for us. And I think that should be a good enough indicator that he can play in the NFL.”
As Saban mentioned, Moses was able to take the field for the Crimson Tide in all 13 of their games last season. However, he did so by playing through pain and it was revealed he had a torn MCL for much of the season. Now, after going undrafted, Moses will join the Jags out of rookie free agency but will start his career on the NFI list and will continue rehabbing.
Former Alabama LB Dylan Moses is going to Jaguars, per source. He is going on NFI and will continue rehabbing his knee.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 1, 2021
The conversation about Moses caused Saban to reflect on a similar incident that occurred when he was the Miami Dolphins’ head coach. As many can recall, there was interest for them to acquire Brees in 2006, however, their doctors had concerns about Brees’ health. As a result, he ended up with the New Orleans Saints that season — and Saban hasn’t forgotten that crucial moment in his football career since.
“Don’t forget, when I was the coach of the Miami Dolphins, doctors failed Drew Brees on a physical,” Saban said. “From that time on he made about 14 Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl, passed for I don’t know how many thousands of yards. So I guess they make mistakes, too.”
Only time will tell what kind of player the Jags got in Moses and whether his health will be an issue in the NFL. However, the team took a similar gamble on another linebacker with knee concerns in Myles Jack (although it was in the second round) and it worked out well for them. Maybe Moses’ situation could also end up working out for them in a similar way.
