Reaction to Broncos Picking Riley Moss

Iowa cornerback Riley Moss saw his NFL draft stock rise with his performances in front of scouts in the months before the draft.

What Moss was able to do was a big reason why his name was called in Friday’s second night of the draft.

Moss went to the Denver Broncos in the third round with the 83rd overall pick.

Vinny Iyer of the Sporting News gave the pick a grade of B, saying, “The Broncos needed some good cornerback depth behind Pat Surtain II in Moss, who gives them a nice combination of smarts, size and strengths to make plays on the ball, inside or outside. He also can play safety.

Scott Dochterman of The Athletic gave the pick a grade of B+, saying, “The Broncos traded their fourth rounder on Saturday and third-round selection next year for Moss, a player who visited Denver last week. It might be worth it for a player with outstanding ball skills.

A former nationally recognized hurdler, Moss originally came to Iowa as a two-star and ended up starting games over five seasons. Few defenders possess Moss’ hands or ability to break on the ball. He’s at his best in zone coverage when he has eyes on the quarterback.

Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com said of the pick, “Moss has one of the biggest resumes in college football with 50 games and 40 starts over five seasons. The Broncos were on the hunt for additional depth in the secondary and Moss has positional versatility with some in the league who believe he can flourish at cornerback or make a move to a coverage safety in some looks. At 6-0 5/8, 193 pounds Moss blazed to a 4.47 40-yard dash at the combine. Given the Broncos depth at cornerback was tested last season, he will compete for playing time out of the gate.”

ESPN’s Steve Muench said, “Pat Surtain II was one of the best corners in the league last year, but 2022 fourth-round pick Damarri Mathis struggled at times. Adding depth and competition makes sense, and Moss is a good value at this point.”

NFL.com’s Eric Edholm said of the selection, “Denver has been looking for a quality complement to Patrick Surtain II on the outside, which would allow them to move Damarri Mathis to the third spot. Moss might be that guy in time if he bulks up and stays healthy. At the very least, he'll be a Day 1 special-teams contributor.”