NFL Draft Profile: Jaylen Moody, Linebacker, Alabama Crimson Tide
#42
Pos: LB
Ht: 6000
Wt: 222
Hand: 948
Arm: 3048
Wing: 7418
40: 4.70
DOB: 11/6/1998
Hometown: Conway, SC
High School: Conway
Eligibility: 2023
Jaylen Moody
Alabama Crimson Tide
One Liner:
Moody is an excellent linear athlete who does his best when working east to west near the line of scrimmage and on special teams.
Evaluation:
Alabama’s opening depth chart lists Moody as the team’s starting WILL linebacker for the 2022 season opener. He has only missed one game during his college career and has only played over 100 defensive snaps in a season once (2020). Moody has played roughly 210 defensive snaps in the past two seasons, which pales in comparison to his extensive experience on special teams. He has nearly 800 special teams snaps under his belt, including more than 200 from both 2019 and 2021. The South Carolina native appears indecisive when dropping into coverage and sometimes finds himself stuck in no man’s land. Moody has the athleticism to cover players in the flat and gain depth in coverage, but he lacks the looseness in his hips and experience to carry tight ends downfield. He also has bouncy feet that hinder his fluidity in coverage. The former three-star recruit possesses above-average linear speed, but I wouldn’t call him a true sideline-to-sideline player. Moody possesses the speed, and closing burst to prevent running backs from turning the corner on outside runs and contain quarterbacks looking to scramble. His motor runs hot in pursuit, but he rarely makes plays behind the line of scrimmage. Moody takes good angles to the football, which are complemented by his speed and burst. However, his frame lacks power. He often gets stuck on blocks or washed out of position by climbing linemen and tight ends. Sometimes his hand fighting and quickness help him shed blocks and redirect to the football, but these splash plays occur inconsistently. Moody is largely ineffective as a blitzer off the edge. He occasionally shoots gaps on the interior but doesn’t possess the arm length, power, and pass rush plan to consistently generate pressure or tackles for loss.
Grade:
UDFA
Quotes:
“Well, Jaylen has certainly been a guy that’s made a lot of positive contributions to the team in a lot of ways. Been a great special teams player for us. Has always accepted his role. Being a really, really solid backup player who, when he’s played, he’s been able to play very well. But I also think that, you know, when guys have been in that role, they have to understand what goes with being a starter. You have to challenge yourself to be ready and prepared to play with great consistency and performance.” -- Alabama HC Nick Saban on LB Jaylen Moody
Background:
Jaylen Moody is a versatile player on the defensive side of the ball and on the teams special teams unit. In 2019 and 2020, he was one of the team's best special teams players. In 2021, he had similar stats and also added an interception in his 2021 season. From Conway, South Carolina, and attending Conway High School, Moody was a three-star prospect and was ranked as the eleventh based prospect in the entire state of South Carolina. Entering 2022, Moody will be looked by Nick Saban as one of the go-to players on those two sides of the ball.
