Thaddeus Moss, LSU
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 250 pounds
40-yard dash: NA
Vertical: NA
Broad Jump: NA
For those who are able to think back and remember, there was a pretty good NFL WR with the last name “Moss”. Well, the lineage continues on here as Randy Moss‘ son is about to enter the NFL after a successful college career at LSU.
Thaddeus Moss is often referenced to being Moss’ son, but he does so much more on the football field to stand out than just being someone’s son. Moss is extremely talented and has some of the best hands in this TE class. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see Moss at the NFL Combine due to being diagnosed with a Jones fracture in his foot at the medical testing portion of the event, but we can’t forget about what Moss does when he’s on the field.
Will Moss’ draft stock take a tumble after being unable to showcase his athleticism in the pre-draft process? Will he be able to make an impact for fantasy football?
Those questions are answered here in my detailed scouting report on Thaddeus Moss (ratings out of five stars):
Size/Versatility
While Moss is slightly undersized for the position, he doesn’t let it affect his ability as an in-line blocker. Moss is a mauler in the run game and is consistently displaying his strength by putting defenders on their backs. However, he also has the ability to flex out from the formation and line up everywhere. He’s consistently lining up in the slot to all the way out as the X-receiver on the line of scrimmage and being used downfield. His size may not be the same as a Travis Kelce, etc. but he makes up for it with his versatility and how he can be used in a NFL offense.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Route Running/Ability to Separate
Moss is a great route-runner for his size and possesses good body control to sink in and out of his routes. He carries his momentum extremely well and has tremendous route-running savvy. While he’s not the most explosive player off the line of scrimmage, he makes up for it by knowing where to land in soft spots in zones to help out his QB. He can be used up the seam or in the short passing game to help move the chains. He’s not going to be able to separate extremely well, but he wins in many other fashions.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐1/2
Speed
Some TEs in the NFL win with their top-end athleticism and their ability to pull away from defenders. George Kittle is the immediate example that springs to mind. Then there are other TEs who win with their ability to be a factor in the short passing game and simply help move the chains. Moss falls into the latter category. He does not win routinely with his athleticism and ability to pull away and separate from defenders. He has the necessary speed and quickness to succeed in the NFL, but he’s not going to consistently end up on highlight reel due to his agility.
RATING: ⭐⭐1/2
Hands/Contested Catch Ability
As Randy Moss‘ son, it’s not hard to see where he got his natural receiving ability. Moss may have the best hands of this TE class and he shines in contested catch situations. There may not be much more I need to say…just watch the clip below to see how special this kid is at catching the ball.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
After the Catch
As mentioned above, Moss isn’t going to be an after-the-catch specialist like a George Kittle. While he can create a little bit on his own, he’s best used as a possession style option off of the formation.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
In-Line Blocking
Effort. That’s what Moss brings to the table on nearly every play. He may not be able to move defenders as easily as he was in college in the NFL, but he’s going to fight every single snap and give it his all. He has the foundation and tools there to only get better, too. Once he gets into a NFL weight room, we may see him become even stronger and bigger.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Projected Draft Spot
Due to the injury mentioned above, it’s difficult to fully gauge where Moss is going to be drafted. Before the Combine, I would’ve guessed somewhere in the middle of the second round, but without having testing numbers, it’s going to be tough to convince NFL teams to take him before the 4th round of the draft. If that is the case, Moss is likely to going to fall into a situation where he’s the second TE on a team and will have to fight to see the field. He could certainly work his way up the depth chart, but he faces an uphill battle now. Unless he gets drafted much earlier than I’m anticipating, Moss should be off your radar for redraft leagues in 2020. For Dynasty rookie drafts, he should be no higher than a mid-3rd round pick due to the uncertainty that is ahead of him. He has the talent, but the unfortunately timed injury certainly set him back a bit.
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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.