By Andrew Malkasian
| Round | 4 |
| Pick # | 128 |
| College | Texas A & M |
| Height | 6’5” |
| Weight | 311 |
| 40-Yard | 5.19 |
| Bench Reps | 28 |
| 3-Cone | 7.56 |
Moore, Jr. Links
Overview of Moore, Jr.
Moore was a three-star recruit and ranked 47th in the nation when he came out of high school, but he saw immediate action his freshman season playing in 8 games, including one start against Florida. He played guard in both high school and college but was drafted by the Steelers as an offensive tackle to provide depth and compete for the opening left by Alejandro Villanueva. The key difference is that Moore’s entire playing career has been on the offensive line, so his upside may be much higher than Villanueva’s ever was at that position. Also, similarly to Kendrick Green he brings a certain tenacity to the line that was sorely missing last season.
Strengths of Moore, Jr.
Moore started for three years under Jimbo Fisher in one of the most pro-style conferences in all of college football. He saw NFL-caliber defensive players nearly every week and proved himself with every rep. He is solid athletically and a clear willingness to grow and learn the game. He showed clear improvement from season-to-season, with his final year being his best. He certainly has room to grow, but there are clear flashes of a player who could excel in the professional game, especially his second-level awareness.
Areas of Growth for Moore, Jr.
While he has shown steady growth in his three years as a starter, he needs to polish his game and develop his technique to ensure that he’s a valuable contributor to the offensive line. He needs to be mindful of his feet and remain strong through his blocks; in particular, he needs to remain in control of his body as he kicks back on passing plays and also increase his ability to move players from their spots with his hands. While maturity and practice against NFL players can help him increase his technique and control, as things stand today, this is where he must grow.
How Does Moore, Jr. Fit Into the Steelers Depth Chart?
Clearly, Moore will back up Banner, Okorafor, and Haeg at Tackle. Could he move into Guard, let’s hope not. If that’s the case we’ve got a problem. But, thankfully he’ll provide solid depth all around.
What Will Moore, Jr. Contribute in Year One?
Depth. Plain and simple. Moore will provide the Steelers with solid line depth while also learning the position and potentially serving in the role of starter in the years to come. We’ve seen the team cultivate latter round talent in starting players before, let’s hope they can do it again. Home grown talent is always a bonus.
Steelers Comparable Player
While he’s smaller than Joe Haeg, Moore possesses similar talents and upside. Haeg has proven himself in the NFL (save for the drop in the Super Bowl) and Moore can certainly take note on how to effectively work on your game to become a valuable asset.
What Did This New Steeler Study?
Dan Moore studied finance at the Texas A & M which alludes to a certain level of intelligence that is important in a dynamic position like offensive line. An analytic mindset is important and can serve him well at the next level. You can learn more about A&M’s Finance program HERE.
Yay, Nay, or OK?
As mentioned above, the absence of Villanueva creates an opening on the left side of the offensive line. I don’t anticipate Moore needing to fill that whole, nor necessary compete immediate for the starting position, but he does provide necessary depth. Moreover, his general tenacity and quickness provides enough upside for him to take over a starting spot if necessary be way of injury or in straight competition. I like this pick considering his versatility and value.
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