The leader at the helm of the 2020 Alabama defense, Dylan Moses, can’t prove much more than he already has. He’s a 2-time national champion, in 2018 he was a second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC player, and even while battling injuries all through 2020 he still was put on the All-SEC first team. He’s shown he’s capable of taking on a leadership role, which is a trait strongly desired at the linebacker position. He provided great run support to the Bama defense, and his ability to fill running lanes was a huge play disruptor. He doesn’t recognize plays as fast as NFL teams may want him to, but he’s usually still able to make a tackle using his freakish athleticism. Teams may have questions about his block shedding as well, but Moses is a player that’s shown he can develop his game quickly, so this shouldn’t be as glaring of an issue going forward. Coaching staff love a coachable player such as Moses, and his skill set makes him a day one player in the draft.

Dylan Moses Stats And Measurables:

College: Alabama

Year: Senior

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 240lbs

Position: Linebacker

Number: #32

2017 Stats: 8 Games/30 TOTAL/19 SOLO/1.5 SACK/1 FF/1 INT/3 PD

2018 Stats: 15 Games/86 TOTAL/45 SOLO/3.5 SACK/1 FF/1 PD

2020 Stats: 12 Games/30 TOTAL/19 SOLO/1.5 SACK/1 INT

Strengths:

1. Moses is incredible at sniffing out ball carriers. He navigates traffic well and rarely is found in the wrong hole. He tracks down ball carriers with a passion and running backs have a hard time getting away from him in the backfield. He gets through holes well and doesn’t get trapped in pulls or traps often. His ability to avoid contact is spectacular. Offensive lines have a very hard job keeping him out of the backfield, which he gets to with incredible speed.

2. He also fills very well. Whether it be filling a running lane or getting to a ball carrier rather than waiting for them to come to him, Moses does a remarkable job. His instincts and technique regarding tackling is something that coaches love to have on their team, and it is certainly one of his best attributes. He rarely gives a runner time to make a move before Moses has wrapped them up and is taking them down. He is one of the best one on one tacklers in this class, another trait in high demand by teams. His ability to wrap up running backs in the backfield before they can make a move helps him make tons of plays in the backfield.

3. His athleticism is another addition to Moses’ game that makes him a very special prospect. He rarely is beaten over the top by most slot receivers, and he can track down runners in an instant. He moves very fluidly for a guy his size and it really shows when he is moving around the middle of the field. He can navigate his zone very well, which was very important to Alabama as they usually only have one linebacker with the responsibility of any routes across the middle. This speed and acceleration help him keep up with faster tight ends, running backs, and even receivers. This athleticism is a big factor in his high draft stock, and it was showcased during his time at Alabama.

Weaknesses:

1. While Moses is a great prospect, the glaring weakness in his game is his ability to recognize plays. He fails to recognize screens before they have fully developed, and he bites on a lot of play actions as well. Sometimes he is late to the running back because he failed to recognize the play was a run before he had been sealed from a running lane which allowed big yardage. This is not a flaw you want your defensive leader to have, as many NFL linebackers are able to diagnose the play and call it out quickly before it has time to develop. His reaction time was not great either, which took away a lot of playmaking opportunities for Moses. Even though it is a massive flaw for Moses, it can and will be worked on in the NFL, and shouldn’t hurt his draft stock significantly.

2. He doesn’t close as quickly as teams would like either. Moses’ athleticism sometimes would fail him when closing out a player towards the sideline, or endzone and it would cost him either yards or even points. Faster ball carriers are usually able to evade him outside. He has the athleticism to work on his closing speed, but his injuries may have prevented him from working on it too much during last season.

Closing Ideas:

Dylan Moses is a very interesting prospect. He is very coachable and he takes on a leadership role that goes beyond the stat-sheet. That and his athleticism and run support have garnered him interest as a day one draft pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Although his injuries may be a concern for teams, his skill set is too special to pass on for most teams picking on day one. He showed very special talents in college at Alabama and they have slowly moved him up teams draft boards. If he can stay healthy Moses should have a very long NFL career, one that will be very rewarding for whoever takes a chance on him on draft day.