Broncos Trade Up Again, Draft Iowa CB Riley Moss at Pick 83
If nothing else, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is doing his level best to make the 2023 NFL draft as exciting as possible to the legion of fans who had succumbed to the apathy of not having a first- or second-round pick this year. After moving up to grab a wide receiver at pick No. 63, the Broncos trade up again in Round 3 to select Iowa cornerback Riley Moss.
The Broncos traded picks No. 108 and a 2024 third-rounder to the Seattle Seahawks to move up to No. 83 to grab Moss, per Denver7's Troy Renck. So while the Broncos relinquished their fourth-round pick, they gained a 6-foot-1, 193-pound corner with 4.45 speed.
It's fair to wonder if the Broncos view Moss as a cornerback or as a safety. Mile High Huddle's senior draft analyst Erick Trickel wrote this about the "boom-or-bust" coverage skills of Moss:
With Vance Joseph coming, who loves cover-1 and cover-2 man, Moss may not be the best fit. However, he could work as a safety next to Justin Simmons in the scheme and give a versatile piece in the secondary that Joseph loves to have. Moss can be made to work in the Broncos' scheme and learning under DBs coach Christian Parker, who is viewed as a riser as a defensive backs coach, could be a great match.
Moss leaves the college ranks with 11 career interceptions. In his red-shirt senior season at Iowa, he totaled 47 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception, and 11 passes defensed.
While Moss has been praised for his football IQ and communication skills on the back end of the Hawkeyes' defense, that "boom-or-bust" component is a bit concerning. He relinquished a total of 14 touchdowns in coverage as a Hawkeye.
Although many draftniks projected a future position change to safety for Moss in the NFL, his performance at the Senior Bowl this year convinced many of his wherewithal as a corner. Moss joins Oklahoma wideout Marvin Mims and Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders as members of the Broncos' 2023 draft class.
Barring additional trades, the Broncos aren't scheduled to go on the clock again until pick 183 (sixth round), which will take place on Saturday. Day 3 of the NFL draft kicks off on Saturday at 10 am MDT.
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