X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Rondale Moore - NFL Draft Prospect Profile

Andrew Lalama breaks down the skillset of Purdue WR Rondale Moore before the 2021 NFL draft to assess his fantasy football value in redraft and dynasty leagues.

The 2021 NFL Draft Prospect Profile Series features prominent 2021 NFL Draft prospects with film analysis and scouting insights. I have experience working in college football and have been studying the NFL Draft for over 15 years. My analysis is based on film study and analytics.

A common misconception about the NFL Draft is that the college and pro games are very similar. They are not. Besides the obvious difference in speed and skill level, a college field has different hash mark distances and different rules. There are specific schemes and plays that NFL teams copy from college and vice versa. But the differences between the two are understated in NFL Draft coverage. There's a reason many highly-productive college players are not considered legitimate professionals.

To that end, scouting prospects is not about evaluating college performance, it’s about projecting traits that translate to the next level. This is not limited to just physical traits. There are certain football traits that are evident in college film and will translate to the pro game. For example, a wide receiver being able to get in and out of breaks efficiently will not change from college to pro. On the flip side, an edge rusher who got most of his sacks due to hustle or missed offensive line assignments may not have shown translatable traits on film. We will continue our draft coverage this year with Purdue WR Rondale Moore.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Rondale Moore: Profile

Rondale Moore stands just 5-7, 181, but don't mistake his lack of size for a lack of strength. Moore can squat 600 pounds, ran an unofficial 4.29 40 at his pro day, and jumped 42.5 inches on his vertical. On the field, he put up arguably the best freshman WR season of all time, tallying 114 catches for 1258 receiving yards and 14 total scores in 2018. His signature moment came against Ohio State. He was a human highlight reel in that upset win over the Buckeyes, dominating Ohio State CB Shaun Wade in the slot as a diminutive true freshman.

The main issue with Moore is that he has only played seven games since his magical 2018 campaign. Moore has missed time due to hamstring and "lower body" injuries the past two years, appearing in just seven games. Although he's currently healthy, durability is a legitimate concern for a player without ideal size. His size is also a concern based on precedent, as there haven't been many successful pro-WRs under 5-8. Moore is flashy and exciting, but his transition to the league may not be as seamless as some may suggest. He does not possess elite WR-specific traits, may only be a slot, and his game is more Percy Harvin than it is Tyreek Hill or Steve Smith.

 

Human Joystick

Rondale Moore has elite play speed, quickness, and burst. He's an explosive athlete with the ability to bounce off would-be tacklers and use his low center of gravity and elusiveness to eat up yards after the catch. He did not run a wide variety of routes and received a ton of touches on end arounds, jet sweeps, and perimeter screens. In the clip below, you can see why.

More Moore fun below. His ability to make guys miss surely translates. You can't teach the stuff he's able to do after the catch.

Aside from the occasional vertical route, Moore mostly ran slants, outs, shallows, and screens. He has the twitch and athleticism to run any slot route, however. The clip below shows him catch a slant, break two tackles, and win with speed to the house.

Moore can spin through contact, has a deadly dead leg, and a quick inside juke that college defenders simply didn't have an answer for. His run-after-catch trait is as special as it gets. And while his size isn't ideal, that low center of gravity can be a strength, as his balance, the most underrated physical trait in scouting, is outstanding.

In terms of pure receiving, Moore has flashes that show a natural ability to track the ball. On film, there are instances of catches in traffic, a nice back-shoulder seam catch, and coming down with deep balls. In the clip below, he shows body control and ball-tracking.

It's worth noting that Moore barely wins the route against off-coverage. But as they say, "if you're even, you're leavin'."  The ball is placed outside, and Moore reacts late with a great adjustment and some hand-fighting for good measure.

 

Concerns

You don't catch 178 passes at the NCAA level without at least decent hands. Rondale Moore is adept at tracking the football, made a bunch of impressive catches in traffic, and generally plucks the ball well, transitioning to a runner without losing speed.  However, it wouldn't be fair to overlook the many reps in which he either drops or double-catches a pass or punt return.

Small players usually don't have the biggest hands, and that can lead to drops, especially against freakish NFL defenders. The clip below shows Moore drop a slant thrown a tick behind him. Of course, he has separation on Wade, and it's possible he simply took his eye off the ball on this one rep. Most drops are a result of receivers shifting their eyes to look for where to run, rather than looking the ball into their hands.

Unfortunately, drops and double-catches were a pattern for Moore. He had three drops against Vanderbilt, including the clip below.

The clip below shows a bad double-catch, followed by Moore doing what he does best. Insert Jalen Ramsey into that picture and there's a wholly different result.

Lastly, another double-catch, this time against Auburn.

Moore also made a bunch of questionable decisions as a punt returner. He struggled to field the ball at times, didn't always line up correctly (could be a coaching mistake), muffed a scoop attempt, and generally didn't look overly comfortable. Some scouting reports may list return ability as an added positive. To me, he has a lot to work on before an NFL Special Teams Coordinator would give him that job.

Moore also may be exclusively a slot WR at the NFL level. He did not run a lot of routes as an outside receiver at Purdue, and when he did, it was mostly straight verticals. While he showed the ability to track the ball well, he did not win those boundary vertical routes convincingly on many occasions against lesser athletes, despite his speed advantage. It's hard to envision lining up a 5-7 WR against Stephon Gilmore and expecting him to win matchups on the outside. Some NFL teams may project him as a gadget guy with the ability to develop into a full-time slot. Is that player worth a first-round pick? Perhaps not, especially given the added size and availability concerns.

 

NFL Outlook

Rondale Moore is a special talent, but his film is not flawless. While his skill set is tantalizing as a do-it-all weapon, it's important to remember how much better NFL defenses are at limiting big plays. Moore's playmaking will translate at times, but when the defensive scheme is sound, it's fair to wonder if a 5-7 inside receiver can consistently win 1-on-1 matchups. I love his run-after-catch ability as much as the next guy, but I have concerns about his transition to the pro game, in addition to questions about if he can stay on the field.

Overall, he has a chance to go in the first round due to the upside, but it would not shock me to see him slip into the draft's second day. Playmakers with his skill set don't grow on trees, and discounting a player whose main weakness is an arbitrary size threshold is probably not a good idea.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more prospect profiles and other NFL Draft content.

Read past Prospect Profiles here:

Trevor Lawrence - QB, Clemson

Trey Lance - QB, North Dakota State

Justin Fields - QB, Ohio State

Zach Wilson - QB, BYU

Mac Jones - QB, Alabama

Kyle Pitts - TE, Florida

DeVonta Smith - WR, Alabama



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More NFL Rookie Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

J.K. Dobbins

Expected to Win Starting RB Job?
Quentin Johnston

Suffers Concussion in Preseason Loss
Jaxson Dart

Plays Well on Saturday Night
Marcus Semien

Avoids Serious Injury
Kyle Stowers

Heads to Injured List With Left-Side Strain
Zack Wheeler

Placed on Injured List With Blood Clot in Shoulder
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Optimistic Terry McLaurin Deal Can Get Done Soon
De'Von Achane

De’Von Achane Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Likely Avoids Serious Injury
Josh Hader

Unlikely to Return During Regular Season
Denny Hamlin

the Heavy Favorite to Win at Richmond
Christopher Bell

Has Been Great at Richmond
Kyle Stowers

Out Saturday With Left-Side Tightness
Tyrese Haliburton

No Longer Using a Scooter, Crutches
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Finally Break Through at Richmond?
Joey Logano

Will Start Last at Richmond After Practice Trouble
Chase Elliott

Lack of Top-Line Speed Hurts his DFS Potential
Kyle Larson

Recent String of Crashes Make Him a Big Risk at Richmond
William Byron

Probably Slightly Too Inconsistent at Richmond to Start for DFS
Ryan Preece

on Pole at Richmond as Playoff Deadline Looms Closer
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Chase Briscoe

Still Figuring Out Richmond
Chris Buescher

a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Ty Gibbs

is Mediocre at a Track Where his Grandfather's Team Won 19 Times
Ross Chastain

Despite Qualifying 33rd, Ross Chastain Not As Strong a DFS Option As Usual
Carson Hocevar

Will Carson Hocevar's Speed Overcome His Lack of Racecraft?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Not Enough Attrition at Richmond for Shane Van Gisbergen to Be Viable
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looking for Another Solid Richmond Race
Austin Cindric

After Strong Iowa Run, Austin Cindric Might Surprise
Corey Heim

Probably Too Inexperienced to Contend at Richmond
Daniel Suarez

Won't Benefit From the Same Strategy Play This Year
Erik Jones

Was Slow at Richmond Even When He Had Fast Cars
Zane Smith

Not a Great DFS Option on Paper, but Typically Outperforms His Expectations
Jhoan Duran

Feels "100%"
Marcus Semien

Out on Saturday, Going for X-Rays on his Wrist
George Springer

Activated and Starting on Saturday
Dylan Beavers

Called Up by Orioles
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin From PUP List
Jhoan Duran

Takes Comebacker Off Foot, X-Rays Negative
Rashee Rice

NFL Could Reach Settlement Before Hearing
Matt Chapman

Goes to Injured List
George Springer

Likely Returning on Saturday
Max Muncy

Lands on 10-Day Injured List
Joe Mixon

Not a Lock to be Ready For Week 1
Rashee Rice

Receives Clearance to Travel to Brazil for Week 1
Haywood Highsmith

Dealt to Brooklyn on Friday
Amir Coffey

Signs One-Year Deal With Bucks
Jacob Misiorowski

Activated and Starting on Friday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Back From the Injured List
Khamzat Chimaev

A Favorite At UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis

Set For His Third Title Defense
Aaron Pico

Set For UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Chase Burns

Hits 15-Day Injured List With Flexor Strain
Geoff Neal

Looks For His Second Win In A Row
Travis Hunter

Dealing With Upper-Body Injury, Could be Held Out of Preseason Game
Michael Page

Set For His Second Middleweight Bout
Jared Cannonier

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kai Asakura

Looks For His First UFC Win
Tim Elliott

Set To Open Up UFC 309 Main Card
CBJ

Mikael Pyyhtia Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for One Year
UTA

Caleb Desnoyers Expected to Miss 12 Weeks After Wrist Procedure
Tyson Foerster

on Track to Be Healthy for Season Opener
NHL

Olivier Rodrigue Signs KHL Deal
NHL

Emil Bemstrom to Join Swiss Team
Payton Pritchard

Reportedly Moving Into Starting Lineup
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Expected to Return Friday
Michael King

Heading to 15-Day Injured List
Aaron Nola

to Return on Sunday
Quinshon Judkins

Won't Face Formal Charges
Sam LaPorta

To "Miss a Little Bit of Time"
Rashee Rice

Disciplinary Hearing Scheduled For Late September
Chris Godwin

Likely to Start the Season on PUP List?
Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
Paul Goldschmidt

Could Land on the Injured List
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse
Ethan Thompson

Joins Heat for Training Camp
Los Angeles Clippers

Clippers Add Jason Preston for Training Camp
Stefon Diggs

Unsure About Availability for Week 1
Jakob Marsee

Homers Twice in Seven-RBI Night
Justin Jefferson

Won't Practice This Week, Will be Re-Evaluated Next Week
Akshay Bhatia

a High-Upside Play at BMW Championship
Robert MacIntyre

a Safe Play at BMW Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im a Risky Play at BMW Championship
Xander Schauffele

Chases Big Week at BMW Championship
Shane Lowry

Aims to Rebound at BMW Championship
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Build Momentum at BMW Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looking to Rebound at BMW Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Eyeing Another BMW Championship Victory
Neemias Queta

Wants to Raise His Free-Throw Attempts
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Stuggling to Trade Anfernee Simons
James Cook

Bills Agree on Four-Year Extension
Cole Anthony

Focuses on Winning with Bucks
NBA

Jesse Edwards Moves to Australia
Kessler Edwards

Joins Nuggets
Bradley Beal

Feeling Rejuvenated in Los Angeles
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Looking "Incredible"
PIT

Chad Ruhwedel Retires From NHL
MIN

Jack Johnson Signs Tryout Deal with Wild
Ryker Evans

Kraken Extend Ryker Evans with Two-Year Deal
Rondale Moore

Out for the Season With Knee Injury
Christian Watson

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List
Jordan Love

Undergoes Procedure on Left Thumb
Bud Cauley

Needs a Big Result in Maryland
Harris English

Confident for BMW Championship
Jason Day

Faces Uphill Battle at BMW Championship
Cameron Young

Hot at the Right Time
J.J. Spaun

Rolls in After Near Miss in Memphis
Brian Harman

is a Longer Shot Heading to Maryland
Corey Conners

Appears Safe This Week in Maryland
Daniel Berger

Must Play Better at BMW Championship
Miami Heat

Kai Jones Works Out for Heat
Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook Likely to Join Kings
Golden State Warriors

Al Horford Expected to Sign with Warriors if He Doesn't Retire
Jonathan Kuminga

Reportedly Leaning Toward Accepting Golden State's Qualifying Offer
Sepp Straka

Withdraws From BMW Championship
Maverick McNealy

Finishes Tied for 28th at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Third at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For 22nd at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Rory McIlroy

Finishes Tied For Seventh at Open Championship
Brandon Aiyuk

Could Return in Week 6
Anthony Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak To Eight
Roman Dolidze

Submitted At UFC Vegas 109
Ode' Osbourne

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 109
Steve Erceg

Gets Back In The Win Column
Angela Hill

Outclassed At UFC Vegas 109
Angela Hill

Iasmin Lucindo Dominates Angela Hill
Christian Rodriguez

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Andre Fili

Gets Back in the Win Column
Miles Johns

Drops Split Decision At UFC Vegas 109
Miles Johns

Jean Matsumoto Edges Out Miles Johns To Win Split Decision
Eryk Anders

Suffers First-Round TKO
Christian Leroy Duncan

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Zayne Parekh

Has Sights Set on Making Flames Roster
Hampus Lindholm

Fully Healthy for New Season
NHL

Nathan Bastian Joins Stars on One-Year Contract

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP