Don’t be surprised if the Vikings emerge from next week’s draft with another tall, speedy wide receiver named Moss. I’m talking about Dale Moss out of South Dakota State. The Vikings were among several teams who took a look at Moss at his pro day, and no doubt came away impressed by the former Jackrabbit’s physical tools. The 6-3, 213-pound Moss ran a 4.45 40 at said pro day and posted a 41-inch vertical. Draft projections are all over the board on Moss. Some analysts predict him to go as high as the 4th round, no doubt thanks to his pro day performance, while others slap him with a late round grade.
Why all the disagreement on Moss’s potential? It may have something to do with inexperience. Moss only played one year of football at South Dakota State after spending several years on the basketball squad. In his single season as a Jackrabbit wide receiver, Moss caught 61 balls for 949 yards and 6 TDs. Obviously we’re talking about a very raw talent, someone in the same category as another potential Vikings draft target, Grambling’s Mario Louis.
But Moss’s stock has actually been surging in recent weeks, and he even scored a visit with the Cincinnati Bengals. Clearly Moss’s talents are no secret in NFL circles. No doubt the Vikings have him on their board and will consider drafting him with a late round pick if he’s there. But he’s not a guy you should expect to see catching a lot of balls from Christian Ponder come next season. Realistically, he rates as a highly intriguing down-the-road prospect.
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