When you are sitting on the couch late day three of any NFL Draft weekend, it is easy to simply check out. But this is where the best scouts make their money. Look no further than what 2022 sixth rounder Jalen Nailor has done for himself. After a college career that put the injury-prone label on him with a lack of size and play-strength, Nailor fell into their laps and is the most productive player from the Vikings 2022 Draft class (which began with Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth). His breakout 2024 season saw him finish the fourth leading receiver with 447 yards while finishing third on the team with six touchdowns. He is entering a contract year.
Rondale Moore, who missed all of 2024 with a torn ACL, was signed to a one-year deal this offseason. Originally a second round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2021, Moore has evolved into a swiss army knife-type offensive weapon. He finished second in catches on the 11-win, playoff squad as a rookie. Over his three seasons there, he totaled 140 catches, 52 carries, and 36 returns. Moore’s injury history dates back rather far, however. He missed most of 2019 at Purdue with a knee/hamstring injury before playing in just three 2020 games. Multiple soft tissue injuries and a dislocated finger limited him to just eight games in 2022. His final year in Arizona in 2023 was healthy but he had a whopping 11% drop rate and averaged just 8.8 yards per catch, second lowest in the NFL.
Prediction: Nailor
The number three receiver on this depth chart must be effective both from the slot and on the outside because of how often both Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson will move around. Nailor has a near 50/50 split between the two alignments. He also has a more traditional receiver skill-set while Moore has yet to prove he can consistently hack it as receiver from anywhere other than the slot. Putting Nailor as the WR3 in this offense also opens the door to using Moore the way we’ve always thought he should be used, and that is as a situational gadget guy.