Florida Gators LB Jeremiah Moon the Latest to Earn Praise from Senior Bowl
Florida Gators linebacker/BUCK rush end Jeremiah Moon is the latest rising senior at UF to receive some serious love from the annual Senior Bowl.
"While it hasn’t translated into great stats yet, [Florida outside linebacker] Jeremiah Moon is one of the most physically talented defenders in ‘21 draft," said Senior Bowl director and former 18-year NFL scout Jim Nagy. "Moon is [the] only guy we’ve seen so far that flashes high ceiling rush talent and can also run with [tight ends] down the seam."
In 2019, often serving the pass rush in rotation or filling in for starting BUCK Jonathan Greenard when he was injured, Moon put together a solid redshirt junior campaign, The 6-foot-6, 228 lb. edge rusher tallied 31 total tackles, three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 20 quarterback pressures (per Pro Football Focus).
Nagy notes Moon's surprising coverage ability for his size and position, something seen on occasion throughout last season when he lined up at STAR and even wide cornerback (30 snaps). According to PFF, Moon allowed only one completion across six targets in coverage, which went only for six yards. It didn't happen often, but there were instances where the coaching staff saw the benefits of having an athletic, 6-foot-6 defender in coverage.
“Yeah, him covering deep," head coach Dan Mullen said of Moon in November, "a lot of that’s all personnel based whether we’re in nickel base, we have a lot of different - dime - we have a lot of defensive personnel groups we put on the field. That’s going to determine who’s in what spot.”
Moon played in nine games in 2019 before suffering a season-ending foot injury.
Moon isn't the only Gator to receive direct praise from Nagy as the 2021 draft class is beginning to get sorted out. Florida wide receivers Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney as well as quarterback Kyle Trask, have received direct praise from Nagy over the past couple of months.
This follows the 2020 Senior Bowl that invited five former Florida players to participate, which directly benefitted several prospect's draft stock. Wide receiver Van Jefferson, namely, performed so well during the week that he ascended into a second-round pick in April's selection ceremony by the Los Angeles Rams.
Jefferson had previously been considered a mid-round prospect and even sat out of the 2020 NFL Combine due to a Jones fracture in his foot, but his consistently dominant showing in Mobile shot him up the ranks.
Moon, Trask, Grimes, and Toney all could have similar opportunities. It remains to be seen if there will be a full 2020-21 college football season for each UF player and their teammates to elevate their long-term pro prospects, but the annual Senior Bowl could provide a similar opportunity regardless - should they earn an invitation.
