LSU Football: NFL scouts split on Thaddeus Moss’ potential
By Zach Ragan
LSU football tight end Thaddeus Moss went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.
LSU football’s Thaddeus Moss signed with the Washington Redskins after going undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.
One of the main reasons Moss wasn’t drafted was because of a foot injury that required surgery earlier this year.
Despite the surgery, I still felt like Moss would get selected in the draft. He had a productive year for LSU in 2019, hauling in 47 receptions for 570 yards and four touchdowns. That’s a pretty good line for a tight end. It’s even better when you think about all of the players in LSU’s offense that Moss had to compete with for targets (Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Terrace Marshall).
Apparently, the foot surgery wasn’t the only reason Moss didn’t get drafted. NFL scouts were split on their opinions of the former Tigers tight end.
Various scouts discussed the Redskins’ draft this week with The Athletic and some of them loved Moss and some of them weren’t impressed.
“I didn’t see him in the middle rounds pre-injury. He’s short. He’s got nice hands, but he’s one speed. If his last name wasn’t Moss, I’m not sure how he would have been perceived”, said one scout.
Another scout, however, liked Moss a lot.
“I think Moss is a good football player. Like I said, He’s probably the best blocking tight end in the draft with both technique and leverage, execution and finish. He will definitely bring a presence at the line of scrimmage,” said another unnamed scout.
Another scout added “He’s still scratching the surface, and his best football is in front of them. So to get him as a PFA is definitely good for the Redskins. He understands blocking. You can tell he is a smart football player.”
Finally, another scout bluntly said “I didn’t really love Thaddeus.”
It’s interesting to see the varying opinions from scouts. Often times, I wonder if too much group think creeps into the draft process. It’s obvious from these comments, though, that group think wasn’t much of a factor in this year’s draft (likely due to the lack of Pro-Days and pre-draft visits).
Ultimately, I think Moss has a shot to be a productive player in the NFL. Any tight end that catches nearly 50 passes for over 500 yards in the SEC is a good player — I don’t care who is throwing him the football.
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Moss isn’t going to be Travis Kelce out there, but he should have a solid career as long as he stays healthy.