5. Elijah Moore, WR, NY Jets
From the moment the Jets released footage of the phone call in which Saleh and Douglas were in complete disbelief about Elijah Moore falling to their selection at pick 34, Moore was bound to be a fan favorite.
In terms of preseason excitement, there may not have been a Jets rookie who garnered more hype than Moore. A 5-foot-10 receiver from the University of Mississippi, Moore’s game is predicated on his elite route running and game-breaking speed (4.35-second 40-yard dash).
The Ole Miss product has an uncanny ability to create separation at the top of his routes and served as a safety valve for Zach Wilson and Mike White.
Moore had a slow start to the season (as did the rest of the Jets’ offense), but when he got going, he never looked back. From Week 7-13, Moore was the most dynamic weapon in the Jets’ offense, bringing in 35 receptions for 472 yards and six touchdowns.
Although the Jets signed Corey Davis to be the de-facto WR1 on the team’s roster, Moore was unquestionably the most explosive outside weapon for the Jets this past season.
A quadriceps injury prematurely ended his promising rookie season, but make no mistake. Moore is a dynamic weapon and high-character individual who hasn’t scratched the surface of his potential yet.