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Player Profile - 4.4.09

Pros: Moore is extremely athletic and is a natural playmaker. With terrific hands and ball skills, the Vanderbilt product is a threat to pick off passes thrown his way and cause ball carriers to fumble. He is great with the ball in his hands and despite not having elite-timed speed, he shows great quickness. Even playing in the SEC, Moore stood out as a playmaker. He does a great job when he is able to play off the receiver and read the quarterback. With his quickness he is extremely dangerous covering short routes. He reads plays quickly and will jump routes for picks or level the receiver. Moore is tough, durable and able to play when he is less than 100 percent. He is very intelligent and has a reputation as a hard worker.

Cons: Moore is not even 5’9’’. He is thin and not extremely fast, running in the high 4.5’s in the 40-yard dash. He shows good initial pop but struggles to finish the tackle. Despite good coverage skills, Moore could struggle playing man-to-man coverage in the NFL. He can be beat deep by strong route runners.

Scouts Take: In his last two years he picked off 12 passes and racked up 141 tackles in the tough SEC conference. The former Commodore showed great versatility playing cornerback, receiver, and as a returner. Moore plays hard and does not shy away from contact despite his small frame. During the 2008 season and before the NFL Scouting Combine Moore was considered by some as a potential first-round talent, but after his sub-par 40 times he will likely now have to wait until round two to hear his name called. He lined up at cornerback and receiver at his Pro Day. As a wide out, he shows ability and is good at making defenders miss, but Moore should stay on the defensive side of the ball. He could really benefit starting the season out as the nickel back and handling return responsibilities. If he is thrown into the starting lineup on day one, he will struggle and give up some big plays that could hurt his confidence. Confidence is the most important thing for a young, small player that relies on instincts and athletic ability to make plays on defense and special teams. Moore should flash some ability his rookie year and with time the All-SEC performer could blossom into a very good corner and one of the game’s biggest defensive playmakers.

School Bio

12.31.08 - Vanderbilt cornerback D.J. Moore announced he will forego his senior year and enter the 2009 NFL Draft immediately following the Music City Bowl on Wednesday.

12.29.08 - Moore contributed from day one when he stepped on campus at Vandy. He had nine starts at corner and also returned punts for the Commodores. In 2007, Moore ranked second on the team in tackles with 84, had six interceptions, and 10 passes defended. He also saw some time at receiver running reverses (six for 78 yards) and returned kicks for Vanderbilt. He earned First Team All-Southeastern Conference honors from the AP and Second Team All-SEC from the coaches. This season, Moore leads the team in interceptions (6) and passes defended (6) and has again seen reps on offense. He has seven receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns and 73 yards rushing on eight carries. He has also returned both punts and kickoffs. Moore is already obviously playing at a very high level so returning for another year may not be in his best interest. He is a Day One pick and it is likely he will leave school early.