With the No. 34 pick in the 2021 NFL draft the Jets select Ole’ Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore….
Elijah Moore Career Statistics
| YEAR | AGE | Gm | REC | REYDS | RETD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 18.8 | 11 | 36 | 398 | 2 |
| 2019 | 19.8 | 12 | 67 | 850 | 6 |
| 2020 | 20.8 | 8 | 89 | 1193 | 8 |
Moore has one of the most decorated production resumes in this class, finishing with the second-most receiving yards (1,193) and second-most receptions (86) in the nation in 2020. Moore accounted for 36.1% of the Mississippi receptions, which was second in this class, and 34.6% of the receiving yardage, which ranked sixth.
Not only were Moore’s 149.1 receiving yards per game in 2020 the most in this draft class in 2020, but they are also the most for any Power-5 prospect in his final season in the 2000s for all wide receiver prospects.
Only three wide receivers are younger than Moore in this draft class. As a true freshman at age 18, Moore was third on the team in receptions for a team that also had A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf in their final collegiate seasons before declaring to the NFL.
A prototypical slot wideout, Moore had 61 catches for 888 yards from inside in 2020. At 5’9” and 178 pounds, Moore may be destined for a similar path in the NFL, but he can come in and do that at a high level immediately. Moore also was tied for fifth in contested catches (11) and missed tackles forced (18) per Pro Football Focus. At his Pro Day, Moore came out in the 67th percentile athletically, with high marks in agility score, which was in the 73rd percentile at his position.
Joining Zach Wilson from yesterday, Moore is added weaponry for their rookie passer. Obviously with a passing game that struggled the way that the Jets did last season, their wideouts did not post scintillating numbers. A group, the Jets wideouts ranked 22nd in receptions (11.8) and 25th in receiving yardage per game (145.0) while tied for 24th in the league in touchdown receptions (12).
Despite the number of wideouts rostered currently, it is still arguably that they do not have a No. 1 option. The team signed Davis to a long-term contract this offseason to help remedy that as they wait on the development of Denzel Mims in year two. Davis never lived up to the No. 5 Draft selection the Titans used on him in 2017, but Davis did close out his tenure in Tennessee on a strong note in 2020.
Coming off a 2019 season in which he caught 43-of-601 targets for 601 yards and two touchdowns, Davis caught 65-of-92 targets for 984 yards and five touchdowns in 14 games, setting career highs in catch rate (70.7%), yards per reception (15.1 yards), touchdowns, receptions (4.6) and yards per game (70.3). Among all NFL wideouts last season, Davis was fifth in yards per route run (2.58 yards).
Mims missed seven games due to a hamstring injury, but when on the field led the Jets with a 14.6 yard depth of target and 71.4 air yards per game while catching 23-of-44 targets for 357 yards and zero scores.
The primary spot that Moore will play immediately is currently occupied by Jamison Crowder, who lined up in the slot for 72% of his snaps in 2020. In two seasons with the Jets, Crowder has secured 4.9 passes per game in each of those seasons, but is in the final year of his contract (he also is only $1M of dead cap to release right now). The team also added Keelan Cole this offseason, who ran 69% of his route from the slot in 2020.
Early 2021 Elijah Moore Projection: 87 targets, 56receptions, 699 yards, 4 TD
