Denver Broncos Day 2 NFL Draft Recap: Grades and Analysis

Round 3 Pick 83: Riley Moss, CB, Iowa

It was very apparent heading into the draft that cornerback was a need of emphasis and the Broncos got their guy in Riley Moss after yet another shocking trade up.

Aside from the controversy regarding whether or not a team has "given too much" in a trade, the special part is knowing that your team got the player they wanted rather than watching them make the pick at the original spot never truly having clarity as to whether or not that was 'their guy' from the jump. Needless to say, Riley Moss was George Paton's guy and he was not afraid to jump back into the 3rd round and ensure Moss is repping the orange and blue for the next 4 years.

Of the other cornerbacks available, Riley Moss can be considered a slight reach at the pick with other prospects available like Mekhi Blackmon, Darius Rush, and Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson but George Paton and the Broncos front office had graded him much higher than analysts and fans and maybe deservingly so.

In 5 seasons at Iowa, Moss had experience at both safety and cornerback and produced 158 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 11 interceptions (3 returned for touchdowns), and 26 passes defended. While there have been some questions regarding whether he'll play safety or cornerback in the NFL, Sean Payton cleared up those plans setting the record straight on Friday night stating that there is a "clear vision" for Moss on Denver's defense and it's at corner.

Stating that there's a "clear vision", the Broncos must feel very highly about Moss' potential at the CB position alongside Patrick Surtain ll and Damarri Mathis. Moss brings great length at 6 foot 1 and 194 pounds and excels in zone coverage where he's able to hawk QBs and create turnovers; a strength the Broncos need as both Surtain ll and Mathis specialize in man coverage. He has a great feel for the field, moves very fluidly, has faced great competition at WR, but most importantly has unbelievable athleticism.

With Moss' measurables and production at Iowa, he has a ton of upside in the NFL, especially being inserted into one of the best possible secondaries with Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain ll to learn from. His physicality, ability to stick his nose in the run game, and flashes of being a technically sound corner begs the question: did George Paton just manage another steal at CB in his 3rd consecutive draft? It certainly appears so.