Giddy' Scouts Watch as D.J. Moore Puts on Show at Maryland Pro Day
Wide receiver D.J. Moore was the main attraction for scouts and coaches at Maryland's Pro Day in College Park Wednesday.
He didn't disappoint.
Ravens representatives were reportedly among the 31 NFL teams in attendance, as they ran Moore through a gamut of route-running drills and peppered him with questions. He showed off his kick-returning ability too.
The Washington Post described talent evaluators as “giddy” while they watched Moore show off his mechanics and explosiveness. He didn’t drop a single pass.
Moore said scouts tried to unsettle him with bizarre questions, including whether he would rather be a cat or dog. One team rep asked him to cite the alphabet while counting, another showed him mistakes he made while playing at Maryland to get his reaction.
"Some of [the interviews] was funny, some of them was serious, but for the most part I made them funny," Moore said. "They tried to get to me, but I don't really get unsettled."
Moore was already considered one of the top wide receivers in the 2018 NFL Draft, but his stock vaulted even higher after an impressive NFL Scouting Combine where he measured in taller (6-foot-0) and ran faster (4.42 40-yard dash) than expected.
"In a wide receiver class full of uncertainty, the 6-foot, 215-pound Moore might just be the best of the bunch," wrote ABC7's Stephen Pimpo.
Once considered a borderline first-round pick, Moore continues to creep up mock drafts. He's been pegged at No. 29 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, No. 24 to the Carolina Panthers, No. 16 to the Ravens and even No. 13 to the Washington Redskins.
"As far as round-wise, [scouts] don't really talk about it. They just tell me I'm a great player and my ceiling is so high," Moore told reporters yesterday.
He added that he likes the idea of staying local and playing in Washington or Baltimore. He flashed a grin when asked about playing for his home town of Philadelphia.
Scouts told him they are impressed with his adaptability. Moore played with a whopping eight different quarterbacks during his college career. Despite constant turnover, he put up big numbers, including 80 receptions for 1,033 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season. He caught a pass in 33 consecutive games.
"[Scouts] just say that's impressive that I had eight different quarterbacks throughout my three years here," Moore said.
Combine that impressive production with adaptability, route-running, burst after the catch, a strong work ethic and an infectious smile, and you can see why Moore's stock is high.
He's trying to take all the attention in stride, and focus on what he can control.
"On the inside it feels great, but on the outside you still gotta be humble and work hard on and off the field just to get better at your craft," Moore said.
Mel Kiper's Latest Mock Draft Has Ravens Selecting OT Mike McGlinchey
Head Coach John Harbaugh feels his offensive line is better than it was at this time last year, but if the team added Notre Dame's massive offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey to the equation, that would put the group over the top.
McGlinchey is ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper's selection for the Ravens in his third mock draft.
"McGlinchey is a plug-and-play right tackle who would be playing on the same line as his college teammate Ronnie Stanley," wrote Kiper. "McGlinchey played on the right side for Notre Dame two years ago, and he was dominant. Then he took Stanley's spot at left tackle – and was dominant. This move also would allow Baltimore to keep Alex Lewis at guard instead of trying him at right tackle. Lewis also could move to center to replace Ryan Jensen."
McGlinchey is widely considered among the top-two offensive tackles in the 2018 draft class. Kiper has the Ravens passing on wide receivers Moore and Calvin Ridley to get him.
A first cousin of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, McGlinchey attended the same private school in Philadelphia as the Pro Bowler.
The Ravens have James Hurst penciled in as the starting right tackle after he started 16 games at left guard and excelled last year. Hurst has also started a few times at left tackle.
"But a first-round pick would likely be an upgrade over Hurst," ESPN wrote. "At 6-feet-7, 309 pounds, McGlinchey is a physical blocker who is effective because of his technique. The concern is that his lack of ideal athleticism will hinder him against speed-rushers.
"Like the other offensive tackles who've been drafted in the first round by Baltimore, McGlinchey would look to follow [Stanley], Jonathan Ogden and Michael Oher as rookie starters."
Prediction: Ravens Draft QB in Third or Fourth Round
The Ravens will likely not sign a veteran backup quarterback. Harbaugh made that clear Tuesday.
He said the team will probably go with Josh Woodrum as Flacco's primary backup, or a rookie. That pretty much ensures the Ravens will draft a quarterback in April, but it's unlikely to be one of the top five quarterbacks with their 16th overall pick, even though recent buzz has suggested that as a viable option.
If you want a guy that can step in and carry the team if Flacco were to get injured, it may not be wise to wait until the sixth or seventh rounds either.
"If I’m a betting man, I'd predict that it happens in the range of the third to fourth round," wrote The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec.
In Year 16, Terrell Suggs Promises to Crank Everything Up 'Full Throttle'
How does Ravens defensive leader Terrell Suggs keep a passion for the game after 15 years in the league? Even after tearing multiple muscles, snapping tendons and an ever-changing locker room?
The movie buff uses Jean-Claude Van Damme's character in "Lionheart" to explain.
"Don't ever lose your Lionheart because you'll never get it back," Suggs told Bleacher Report's Tyler Dunne. "Until I fall short for the last time, I'm going to keep trying to go at it."
There are other NFL warriors as old as (or older than) Suggs that are still in the league. He pointed to James Harrison, Dwight Freeney and Antonio Gates.
But Dunne countered by saying that Harrison is more of an Instagram Hero than Quarterback Slayer now. The writer called Freeney "washed up." Gates averaged fewer than two receptions per game last season.
"Suggs leans back, mutters 'Damn' and realizes he does stand alone," Dunne wrote. "No non-quarterback is playing at his level at his age with his bill of health."
Check out Dunne's in-depth feature, which looks at Suggs' career as a three-act cinematic masterpiece.
NY Giants Doing Damage Control by Asking for Two First-Rounders?
What happened to first-round pick, "plus?"* *
That was the reported cost the New York Giants wanted in a trade for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. After they were rumored to get a few offers they felt were too low, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that it would require at least two first-round picks.
It was already a "fantasy" for any Ravens fan that wanted Baltimore to trade for OBJ. A cost this high kills any speck of hope because two first-rounders is … not … happening.
The panel for "Speak for Yourself" speculated that the Giants are doing "damage control" after a few offers came in and they were lower than they anticipated. So, the team may want to make it look like it never wanted to trade OBJ while executives continue contract talks with the wide receiver.
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