By Jeremy Hritz
After finishing up all of the Steelers draft pick profiles, it is now time to move on to the undrafted rookie free agents. In this series, which will cover all 10 UDRFAs, I will provide an overview and analysis of each prospect so you know what to expect, and how, potentially, the player fits into the Steelers plans heading into 2022.
TD Moultry, EDGE, Auburn
TD Moultry played in 59 games at the University of Auburn, so he is an experienced prospect who played at the highest level of college football in the SEC. In fact, Moultry owns the Auburn record for number of games played, which is definitely an impressive feat, especially when considering the durability it takes to do so. Over his career, his recorded 57 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Moultry ran a 4.77 at his Pro Day, while repping 225 on the bench 14 times. A stout OLB at 6’1, 246, he has a tightly wound, compact framed designed for dipping under under tackles while pass rushing.
Strengths of Moultry
As mentioned early, Moultry is compact and thick, at 6’1, 246 pounds, and his shorter stature gives him an advantage when battling against taller, high-playing tackles. He has some explosiveness off of the edge in a direct line to the QB, but not so much laterally. A no-quit player with a unyielding motor, Moultry often makes plays as a result of his relentless pursuit of the play. Flashes at times with his hands, both in popping tackles on his pass rushes, but also in anchoring the edge against the run. Has shown some ability in coverage in zone.
Areas of Growth for Moultry
While Moultry does his solid straight line explosiveness, he has not shown flash outside of that, and he struggles when moving laterally. Not great athleticism or bend, he can be pushed up the field away from the quarterback and play. Only 14 repetitions on the bench press at his Pro Day indicates his need to get stronger to be able to play against NFL-caliber offensive lineman. Has shorter arms which can allow tackles to get into his chest and thwart his rushes and anchoring against the run. And while he has shown some ability in zone, he is a significant liability in man coverage against backs and tight ends.
Outlook for Making the 2022 Steelers Roster
Moultry could benefit from the lack of depth at the outside linebacker position, and he will have to maximize his strengths (straight line burst, high-motor, hand usage), while showing that he is coachable and able to get better in his areas of deficiency. The concern is that with all of the experience that he has, why was he not more productive while at Auburn? The best case scenario for Moultry is to contribute on special teams and flash a bit as a pass rusher in order for the Steelers to consider him for the practice squad. Otherwise, he could be an early cut during training camp.