As the NFL moves more and more towards a pass-happy league, the need for reliable receivers at every position on the offense is becoming more important. Assessing the 2021 Draft wide receiver class, it’s hard to find a more reliable receiving option than Elijah Moore out of Ole Miss.

Moore was a target vacuum for Ole Miss in 2020, and he soaked up 86 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns. He was incredibly efficient out of the slot and also excelled when given schemed touches.

He’s a highly sought-after commodity in the NFL Draft community. Some people are extremely excited about what Moore can become in the NFL, and they think that he has a very bright future. Are they correct in their assessment? Is Moore a slam dunk pick that should be selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft?

These questions are answered here in our scouting profile on Elijah Moore:

Elijah Moore (WR – Ole Miss)

Vital Statistics

Height: 5-foot-9
Weight: 178 lbs.
Arms: 30 1/8
Hands: 9 3/8
40-Yard Dash: 4.35
Vertical Jump: 36
Broad Jump: 120
Bench: 17 Reps
Short Shuttle: 4.00
3-Cone Drill: 6.66

College Statistics

Check out Elijah Moore’s detailed college stats here

Skills Legend

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Skills Chart

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Skills Breakdown (out of 100)

Route Running (76): Moore’s a smooth route-runner that has experience lining up all over the formation at Ole Miss. He can line up in the slot and be a three-level threat, or he can line up out wide in off-coverage and run a wide variety of routes. Has good snap in his hips on comeback routes or curls and also has a great understanding of how to identify the soft spots in zones to give his QB a safe throwing window.

Athleticism/Agility (74.5): Good athleticism and agility. Has good burst, not great, off the line of scrimmage and can get in and out of his breaks quickly. Unlikely to make defenders miss in the open field with elite burst and acceleration, but has more than enough to be a solid slot receiver at the next level and to make things happen after the catch.

Hands (82): Arguably the best hands in this entire class. Catches essentially everything thrown his way regardless of the coverage and should be peppered with targets in the NFL.

Contested Catch Ability (79): Able to hold onto the ball through contact extremely well. Willing to go over the middle of the field and make the tough grabs regardless of what it means for his body. If there’s a third-down conversion that needs to be made, the ball’s probably going Moore’s way.

Run After Catch Ability (73.5): Good, not great, RAC ability. Excellent in open space when he’s able to get the ball in stride, but he won’t be able to take a quick pass and make defenders miss with shifty movements side-to-side and with acceleration. Needs to have the ball in space to be a true RAC threat, which could happen frequently with a creative OC, but that’s impossible to project.

Release (70): Very few examples of being pressed at the LOS. Often lined up in the slot and or out in-motion, so the projection is difficult. Based on body size and tape, it’s easy to assume that Moore will have trouble if a more physical nickel corner is lining up on top.

Deep Ball Tracking (74.5): Good ability to track the ball while it’s in the air and set himself in the best position to reel it in. Few examples of being targeted deep downfield, though, so a small sample size to work from.

Speed (77.5): Moore has good speed when he’s able to build up a head of steam, but this might not fill the true requirements of his role in the NFL. Slot corners are asked to be more shifty and twitched-up than truly fast, and that doesn’t fit Moore’s profile precisely. Overall, Moore has the chance of being a truly effective slot receiver in the NFL that will thrive if an OC can find ways to scheme him open, but he could struggle if he goes up against more twitched-up slot corners on a regular basis. Regardless, his receiving ability should force him to be a truly reliable option for whichever QB is throwing him the ball.

Video Evaluation

Elijah Moore has some get up to his game after the catch. That 40-yard dash time was no joke. pic.twitter.com/fv3Avujexy

– Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) March 29, 2021

Great day at the office for @e_moore03. pic.twitter.com/CAF40IV8qL

– Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) March 26, 2021

They Said It

Projected Draft Range

At this point of the pre-draft process, it seems more and more likely that Moore goes off the board late in the 1st round or early in the 2nd of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Ideal Fantasy Landing Spot

The Carolina Panthers need a slot receiver to step in after Curtis Samuel’s departure. With Sam Darnold in town, Moore would be the safety valve for that offense that Darnold relies on so much.

Fantasy Comparison

Hunter Renfrow was one inch taller and one pound heavier than Moore coming out of Clemson, but he ran a much slower 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine. However, they both ran very similar times in the short shuttle and 3-cone drills. Moore obviously brings a bit more juice to the position than Renfrow, but they’ll fill a very similar role in today’s NFL.

Check out our complete list of 2021 NFL Draft profiles here

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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.