D.J. Moore was compared to Steve Smith even before Carolina made the wideout its first-round pick. Now the Panthers rookie has a chance to live up to the expectations.
NFL Draft prospects often are compared to current and former players who are similar in build, skills and athletic ability. The most frequent comparison made for Panthers 2018 first-round pick D.J. Moore comes with a direct connection to the team that drafted him.
Many have called Moore the next Steve Smith. Even Smith himself made the comparison along with an emphatic statement about the pick soon after it was made.
"I was kind of shocked," Moore said of Smith's endorsement while speaking at Carolina's post-draft media conference. “That’s the highest praise you can probably get out of somebody of his stature, playing-wise."
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Smith’s unique skill set as a small, quick, yet physically imposing receiver has been used for comparisons to other prospects in the past. But never before has a player lived up to the expectations. Moore will get his chance from the get-go in Carolina, where he’ll be expected to make an impact right away.
Moore as a rookie likely will line up in the slot with Devin Funchess and Torrey Smith manning the outside spots. But one of Moore's key traits — and one that compares favorably to Smith — is his versatility. He called himself a “movable part" that can be shifted to any receiver spot.
"X, F, Z — all of them," Moore said. "I just have to learn the playbook and get comfortable. It’s going to play a big part in me getting on the field early. Just learning all three is going to be the best thing for me just to get to understand the playbook faster and know the ins and outs."
Moore’s versatility not only will be big in getting him on the field for rookie snaps, but it will help Carolina's offense. The Panthers for years have lacked a consistent slot presence, and with Moore, they might finally have the kind of shifty, explosive weapon who can do some damage between the hash marks.
Smith during his time in Carolina typically manned the outside as a speedy No. 1 wideout, but his quickness, explosiveness and ability to pick up yards after the catch sometimes were ideal in the slot. While Moore might be starting there, it’s not a stretch to imagine him out wide in time.
Moore during his media conference referenced two plays in particular from college that stand out as examples of what he can do from just about anywhere on the field. (They also remind one of Smith.)
The first is a screen pass against Northwestern in which Moore lines up outside, catches the ball at the line of scrimmage and bursts upfield through three arm tackles en route to the end zone.
The second is a post route against Indiana. Moore again is lined up wide. He takes a deep angle in, adjusts to the ball and makes a leaping catch between two defenders.
Moore didn’t equate his playing style directly to that of Smith, but he did offer two names — Jarvis Landry and Percy Harvin — as players to whom he likens his skill set.
"They both play with aggressiveness and (getting) yards after the catch is something that they do best," Moore said.
Landry and Harvin both have operated as weapons out of the slot, with their specialty coming from making plays after the catch. While Moore does play with aggressiveness at the catch point and after the catch, he isn't as aggressive in the trash talking department — something directly opposite of Smith.
"I flip the switch, but I don’t talk. I let my play do the talking," Moore said.
Another thing Moore will not be replicating from Smith is the latter's jersey number. The rookie will wear No. 12.
"89? That would be some big shoes to fill with Steve Smith being here," Moore said. "I just thought I’d start something new."
Even as the first wide receiver taken in the 2018 NFL Draft, Moore isn't a perfect player. His route running is suspect at times, and he occasionally has issues releasing against press coverage. But he has the tools and traits to work around and correct those weaknesses.
The Panthers hope he does; that would mean they did indeed find their next Steve Smith.