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Overview
Moore's versatility has been the spark in the Demon Deacons' offense the past two years. Whether it is catching the ball in traffic or getting big yardage on the reverse, Moore's determination and work ethic make him an inviting target for an NFL teams. With his recent success as a punt returner, it is another addition to his impressive resume.
It was his breakout season in 2007 that brought Moore national attention. He led the Atlantic Coast Conference and ranked ninth in the nation with a school and league single-season record 98 receptions in 2007. His 1,011 yards gained marked just the third time in school history that a Wake Forest receiver amassed more than 1,000 yards in a season.
Named Butler High School's Most Outstanding Athlete, Moore was selected the Southwest Class 4A Player of the Year, adding All-Conference and North Carolina Preps All-State honors as a senior. He ranked 22nd in the state by Rivals100.com and 47th nationally as an athlete. The Prep Star All-Region selection was rated the 23rd-best player in North Carolina by Super Prep. He was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl and named to the All-Charlotte Observer team.
Moore tallied 2,639 rushing yards, 1,907 receiving yards, 1,571 return yards and 58 touchdowns during his high school career. He scored 30 touchdowns his senior year on 48 passes for 827 yards, rushed 78 times for 1,137 yards and had 739 yards on 28 returns. He also rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a junior.
Moore red-shirted as a freshman in 2003 at Wake Forest. He was limited to just five games of action in 2004 due to a right foot sprain, managing just one catch for 6 yards. He made it back to the playing field for the final seven games of the 2005 season, coming up with eight catches for 127 yards (15.9 avg) and a touchdown as a flanker.
In 2006, Moore started 13 games, lining up at halfback in five contests and at the "X" receiver position for eight others. He led the team with 507 yards and two touchdowns on 105 carries (4.8 avg). He finished third on the squad with 32 catches for 314 yards (9.8 avg) and a score. He also returned ten punts for 130 yards (13.0 avg).
Moore earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors in 2007, as he set league and school single-season records with 98 receptions, good for 1,011 yards (10.3 avg) and five touchdowns. Serving as the full-time punt returner, he gained 355 yards with a score on 34 attempts (10.4 avg). He ranked third on the team with 44 carries for 316 yards (7.2 avg) and three touchdowns. He also had 10 kickoff returns for 172 yards (17.2 avg), made a pair of solo tackles and ranked second in the ACC with an average of 142.62 all-purpose yards per game.
In 39 games at Wake Forest, Moore started 27 times. He ranks seventh in school history with 139 receptions for 1,458 yards (10.5 avg) and seven touchdowns. He carried 151 times for 829 yards (5.5 avg) and five scores. He returned 44 punts for 485 yards (11.0 avg), including a touchdown, adding 172 yards on 10 kickoff returns while making two solo tackles. He closed out his career with 2,944 all-purpose yards, an average of 75.49 yards per game.
Analysis
Positives: Has a muscular physique with a six-pack midsection, decent thickness in his hamstrings, tight waist and a frame that can carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk Uses his reach to properly to extend and snatch the ball in traffic Has a smooth release coming off the line and the strength to easily power through the jam Shows the second gear needed to elude after the catch Has natural hands for extending and plucking the ball Shows good quickness and elusiveness in space Sharp route runner, showing crispness and balance to shift his weight in attempts to elude defenders working in space Shows efficiency cutting and separating in the short area Tough player who will sell out and compete for the ball, as he plays with good effort and doesn't loaf on the back side (runs out plays) Maintains foot placement near the sidelines and is very alert at moving the chains Has the field presence to quickly read the defenses and spots the seam in the zone in an instant Very effective on intermediate routes, as he is very sharp in and out of his breaks Gets open quickly in the short area and makes proper body adjustments toward the ball in flight Has the body control to twist and turn for the ball in traffic and is not shy to go over the middle Makes a good effort to gain extra yardage after the catch Position and pester-type blocker Does a nice job of driving defenders off and coming to a stop Knows how to get defenders off stride with his fakes Reads coverages well and is very patient waiting for blocks to develop so he can get wide and turn the corner on returns Shows good balance and body control while getting to his break points Has the ability to stick his foot in the ground and snap his head around, as well as good quickness on stop routes Has good feel for short space Extends and plucks the ball away from his frame Has the burst to get into and out of cuts for adequate separation Creates space with quickness and elusiveness at break points, using burst off his cuts for separation Shows the ability to pick up yardage after the catch to take advantage of short routes Possesses natural hands and good body control for extended pluck Attacks the ball in the air and plays big in traffic, showing good concentration Has the ability to adjust to any ball thrown his way Catches balls thrown outside his frame with ease Has a good feel for the sidelines, getting his feet down inbounds Can rise and twist with extended pluck Possesses good balance and the ability to shift his weight to elude defenders in space Though he doesn't gain separation deep, he can track and adjust to the ball downfield Sprints to stalk points, lowering his shoulder for rising pops.
Negatives: Has the ability to stick his foot in the ground, but with marginal weight drop Drives into his routes with his shoulders and head down, sometimes losing sight of the ball in flight Has only an adequate feel for coverages Used on control routes (slip screens, shallow crosses, speed outs and digs) to get him in space Has questionable separation speed to get open deep Runs mostly underneath-to-intermediate routes Has only marginal ability to sustain blocks after initial contact Can elude after the catch, but lacks the explosive acceleration needed to prevent the defender from recovering More suited for an inside slot position (liken him to Denver's Brandon Stokley) Needs to use his hands better in attempts to escape press coverage Has natural hands, but will drop a few easy passes when he does not secure the ball properly before turning upfield Runs good routes, but needs to do a better job of coming back for the poorly thrown pass.
Compares To: BRANDON STOKLEY-Denver Moore is a nice fit for an offense looking for a slot receiver who is effective running controlled routes or being used on reverses out of the backfield. He is undersized and will get bounced around by a strong press, but does a nice job of eluding when playing in space. With his versatility and new-found punt return skills, he is going to save some team a roster spot with his ability to play a variety of roles.
Injury Report
2004: Sat out the final three games vs. North Carolina, Miami and Maryland after suffering a right foot sprain vs. Duke (10/30).
2005: Held out of the team's first four games vs. Vanderbilt, Nebraska, East Carolina and Maryland while slowly recovering from 2004 foot problems.
Agility Tests
Campus: 4.5 in the 40-yard dash 4.29 20-yard shuttle 6.97 three-cone drill 31 ½-inch vertical jump 7'11" broad jump 315-pound bench press 418-pound squat 330-pound power clean 30 3/8-inch arm length 8 ¼-inch hands Right-handed Wears contacts 13/31 Wonderlic score.
Attended Butler (Matthews, N.C.) High School, playing football for head coaches Mike Newsome and Barry Shuford Named Butler High's Most Outstanding Athlete Selected the Southwest Class 4A Player of the Year, adding All-Conference and North Carolina Preps All-State honors as a senior Ranked 22nd in the state by Rivals100.com and 47th nationally as an athlete The Prep Star All-Region selection was rated the 23rd-best player in North Carolina by Super Prep Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl and named to the All-Charlotte Observer team Tallied 2,639 rushing yards, 1,907 receiving yards, 1,571 return yards and 58 touchdowns during his career Scored 30 touchdowns his senior year on 48 passes for 827 yards, rushed 78 times for 1,137 yards and had 739 yards on 28 returns Also rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a junior.
Personal
Sociology major Son of Cassandra and Kenneth Moore Born 2/19/85 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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