KC Chiefs film room: Skyy Moore has all the tools to excel at pro level

This offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs shocked their fans and the football world by trading away franchise-great wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill is ranked among Kansas City’s statistical top-five receivers in yards, receptions, and touchdowns. The speedy wideout wanted the richest contract for a wide receiver, and Chiefs general manager Brett Veach had other ideas.

Veach shipped Hill down to the Miami Dolphins, who quickly met Hill’s demands. Meanwhile, back in Kansas City, the Chiefs were without three of their top four receivers from 2021. Only Mecole Hardman remained, a polarizing player in the Chiefs fanbase. Either way, he is not the future of the position as he is a free agent after 2022. Veach had to replace most of the previous year’s production and had to do it fast.

The Kansas City Chiefs solidified their rebuilt wide receiver room in the 2022 NFL Draft. How can Skyy Moore contribute in 2022 and beyond?

Much like Veach rebuilt the offensive line in an offseason, he replicated that for the wide receivers. Bringing in veterans Juju Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling was the first step. The Chiefs followed that up by bringing in young talent in Justyn Ross and second-round selection Skyy Moore.

Moore, a two-time, first-team All-MAC selection while at Western Michigan, was one of the draft’s biggest small-school prospects. He had a productive three years with the Broncos, especially during his final year. Moore tallied 95 receptions for a team-high 1,292 yards (13.6 per reception) and 10 touchdowns in only 12 starts. His consistency and NFL Combine performance saw him shoot up draft boards to nearly first-round status.

Moore has good potential, as do many prospects under the tutelage of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. What sets Moore apart is his on-field speed, hands, and toughness. With that said, how will Moore grow in Kansas City, as a receiver and as a contributor?

First impression

Moore coming to the Chiefs should have opponents worried. Once, the Chiefs ran through Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. With the addition of Moore, Kansas City now has four different pass-catchers that can reliably get open. No more keying off Hill or just covering the deep ball. If defenses focus on Kelce or Smith-Schuster, Moore will make them pay.

Albeit against lesser competition, Moore dominates at the line of scrimmage. He will put his defender in a blender, creating massive separation at times. He consistently beats man coverage and can create yards after the catch because of it.

Moore ranked first in FBS last year with 26 missed tackles. He might not have elite agility, but his stocky frame makes him a weapon over the middle and hard to tackle in the open field. Moore will still have one-on-one opportunities at the NFL level, because of Kansas City’s passing scheme.

Moore also has sure hands, proven by the eye test and his stats. He recorded nine contested catches last year, despite his sub-6′ stature. Also, he creates more opportunity for his quarterback with a wide catch radius and 10 1/4″ hand size. Moore would excel in the slot but would still produce on the outside. According to PFF, the majority of Moore’s catches came outside the hash marks.

If Chiefs fans were not excited initially about Moore, listen to this:

Double Take

Watching Moore’s film over again, there are still few drawbacks to his game. Moore produced with an average quarterback for his level. Imagine what he can do with Mahomes.

Moore’s biggest hindrance is going to be his height against NFL defenders. There is nothing that Moore can do to change that, and it is something the Chiefs were aware of when they drafted him.  Moore could also use more polish on his deeper routes, as he has a tendency to round off routes. This is surprising, considering he has such sharp cuts and movements at the line of scrimmage. However, Moore already has crisp routes all along the route tree. Some more polish is all Moore needs.

Final word

There is little doubt about Moore coming to Kansas City and contributing immediately. Will he be amongst the league’s best immediately? No, probably not. But, with Reid and Mahomes in Kansas City, Moore has a very high ceiling. He does not need manufactured touches like Hardman. He is not here for only a year like Smith-Schuster likely will be. Moore has the tools, traits, mindset, and supporting cast to grow exponentially.