Zack Moss is the physical running back the Chiefs have been missing

Scouting Report

A three-year starter at Utah, Zack Moss played primarily out of the shotgun in one running back sets. The Utes run a zone-heavy blocking scheme with some gap looks sprinkled into the mix. Moss finished his college career breaking several school records, including career rushing yards (4,067), career rushing touchdowns (38), and 100-yard rushing games (19). During his senior season, Moss finished with 1,416 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, picking up 89 broken tackles on his way. He also caught 28 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

During his four years at Utah, Moss started 36 of 45 games played. He played through an ankle injury for most of his junior season before suffering a season-ending knee injury that required surgery. In 2019, he battled through an AC sprain in his shoulder but started 12 of 13 games for the Utes. To finish out his senior season, Moss required injections to manage the pain in his shoulder. At the NFL Combine, he suffered a hamstring injury, which lowered his 40-yard dash time.

Moss displays adequate height with solid weight for the running back position. With a stocky, well-built frame, Moss brings a lower center of gravity to the running back positions, which is on full display when you watch him play.

Running Game

In the run game, Zack Moss is best utilized between the tackles. He could play either zone or gap schemes, but his best fit would be in zone concepts utilizing his decisive one-cut ability to hit openings in the middle. Patient as a runner, Moss allows his blockers to work before breaking through a hole. Once a hole opens up, he hits it hard, showing good ankle flexibility to make sharp angles and powers through holes with a violent mindset. Lowering his pads looking for his next victim to throw a shoulder into, Moss rarely goes down on the first contact.

Defenders rarely knock him off balance. Moss plays with a lower center of gravity and good footwork through the hole. Even when he is met with a good hit, it will rarely phase him all that much, and he will continue to move his feet fighting for every inch. His footwork through traffic keeps him from getting tripped up. It’s going to take more than an arm tackle to bring this horse down.

Competitive toughness is a massive plus as he played a physical brand of football through several injuries at Utah. If there are extra yards to be had, he is going to put everything he has to get them. He consistently makes the first defender miss, while punishing the second defender for attempting to get in his way.

When Moss is met in the backfield, he consistently bounces off of contact. Most of his game is built on physicality and balance due to the fact he lacks the top-end speed and agility to get to the boundary consistently. The ability to beat defenders to the outside is not what Moss will thrive in at the next level. Most of his work will come from beating up defenders for five to ten yards up the middle repeatedly.

When he does find the opportunity to win to the outside, there were several times where he was chased down from behind. There’s some stiffness to his movements in the open field, and his lack of burst makes it harder to elude defenders at the second and third levels.

Passing Game

In the passing game, Zack Moss provides a viable weapon coming out of the backfield. On 28 receptions in 2019, 16 of them went for 25 yards or more. Most of his receptions came from the flats or working back over the middle, but with his reliable hands and the ability to withstand contact, he’s a good piece to check down to when needed. His limited athleticism won’t bring much splitting out wide, but getting him the ball underneath and allowing him to use his physicality in the open field proved successful.

In pass protection, Moss does a good job of picking up defenders, squaring up, and delivering a good hit to knock them off balance. Displays a good anchor to pick up blitzing rushers.