Skyy Moore's Relationship With Mike Tomlin Could Push Steelers for WR
INDIANAPOLIS -- A familiar name among Pittsburgh Steelers mock NFL Drafts over the last couple of months has been Western Michigan's star wide receiver Skyy Moore.
A multi-year All-MAC selection, Moore came in at number ten in my receivers rankings for this draft class. He's also a local kid from the Pittsburgh area, where he attended Shady Side before going away for college and becoming one of the most productive receivers in the nation.
Moore spoke with reporters about his connection to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin through his son, Dino. He also confirmed that he had met with the Steelers organization and said that he was hoping to catch up with Tomlin at some point during the week down in Indianapolis.
"Those are my guys," Moore said on the Tomlin family. "My best friends in high school. In high school, we grew together. We were able to put each other on as a quarterback-wide receiver duo."
There are many things that make Moore stand out on film but most notably, might be his ability to win at the line of scrimmage and beat press coverage. I asked Moore about if there was a player in particular that he studied and learned from. Moore said that it's Bills wideout Stefon Diggs.
"Going into last season, I was heavy on Stefon Diggs and his releases," Moore said. "The way that he got off the ball, I tried to emulate that a little bit over the summer."
Moore benefitted from playing with one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, Kaleb Eleby, who also declared for the NFL Draft. He called Eleby "his guy" and said that just like he and Dino Tomlin, they "put each other on."
"We grew together," Moore said on Eleby. "I remember getting there my freshman year and he wasn't the starter immediately but I noticed him off the rip."
The Steelers once again have needs at the quarterback and receiver positions this year. There was an unusual set of circumstances back in 2018 where the Steelers drafted both Mason Rudolph and James Washington, both from Oklahoma State, in the same year. A rare occurrence in NFL history.
I asked Moore about his thoughts on history potentially repeating itself in the Steel city this year.
"That would be even more of a storybook ending," he said. "For me to land in the city with him, that would be crazy."
Moore's junior season was productive, at more positions than one. Moore ran 265 routes from an outside alignment and 140 more from the slot, which highlights his inside/outside versatility. When asked about that versatility and experience playing both positions and how that would help him transition to the next level, he explained that's been his focus his entire career.
"Since I was a little kid, if you can do more then you're going to play more," Moore said. "I took that all the way home. I can play in the slot, I can play outside and I can even line up in the backfield if you want me to."
Moore's a headache for defenses to deal with before the ball arrives but the task gets no easier once the rock is in his hands. PFF charted him with an FBS-leading 26 broken tackles last season, showcasing his elite ball carrier traits for the position.
"First of all, I'm trying to score," Moore said on his ability after the catch. "I'm trying to not get hit but I'm not gonna let them just get to me."
The Malik Willis infatuation aside, it's hard to find many better fits for the Steelers in this draft class than Skyy Moore. Throughout the Kevin Colbert era, no one has drafted more smaller, shiftier separators than the Steelers.
Moore certainly fits that bill with some added versatility to top it all off. Even if he doesn't give the Steelers offense the true burner that they've been missing, you can never have enough guys that just know how to get open.
Despite not playing at a traditional power five school, Moore is still likely to hear his name called on Day 2 of the draft. There are traits such as his ability to destroy press coverage, crafty route running and the playmaking skills as a ball carrier that will make him an attractive option to almost every team.
It remains to be seen who will be the Steelers next signal-caller during the 2022 NFL season. However, adding a weapon like Moore to the mix will make that quarterbacks job a lot easier.
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