Tre'von

Moehrig

Moehrig was suspended for punching 49ers WR Jauan Jennings in the groin in the Panthers’ loss to the 49ers on Monday night. He appealed the suspension, but hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, denied his appeal and upheld the suspension. Moehrig will now miss Week 13 against the Rams.

It will undoubtedly be appealed, but as Ja’Marr Chase learned last week, it’s hard to “get away” with something like this when there are thousands of cameras trained on every football field. Assuming it sticks, Moehrig will miss Week 13’s game against the Rams.

Moehrig posted a career-high 104 tackles last season while also notching two interceptions and 10 pass breakups. Moehrig has started 64 of the 66 games he’s appeared in since being drafted 43rd overall by the Raiders in 2021, and earned the sixth-highest PFF run stopping grade (87.5) among qualified safeties last season.

Moehrig (6'2/202) was the consensus No.1 safety in the 2021 class for good reason, reportedly falling to the second round due to the back injury he suffered at his pro day. Not only does Moehrig sport a tall, strong build for the position, but he has all the athletic tools necessary to thrive in the league. Moehrig sprinted to a 4.50 40-yard dash and a 4.19 short-shuttle, both of which are just a touch above average for a safety. Moehrig’s film is littered with quick feet to help him reposition throughout routes, smart eyes to trigger on the ball early, and a violent nature when attacking the ball. Moehrig also has the silky hips and natural feel to play man coverage adequately. Moehrig is a fit for any scheme and projects to have a Harrison Smith style do-it-all presence.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper said he wouldn’t have taken issue with Vegas taking Moehrig in the first round (instead of the team’s two-round reach for OT Alex Leatherwood). NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Moehrig fell into the second round because he suffered a back injury during his pro day. Moehrig (6'2/202) is the consensus No.1 safety in the 2021 class for good reason. Not only does Moehrig sport a tall, strong build for the position, but he has all the athletic tools necessary to thrive in the league. Moehrig sprinted to a 4.50 40-yard dash and a 4.19 short-shuttle, both of which are just a touch above average for a safety. Moehrig’s film is littered with quick feet to help him reposition throughout routes, smart eyes to trigger on the ball early, and a violent nature when attacking the ball. Moehrig also has the silky hips and natural feel to play man coverage adequately. Moehrig is a fit for any scheme and projects to have a Harrison Smith style do-it-all presence.

Washington may look into moving up in the draft order, as the team would like to address its need at the quarterback position. While the Football Team did engage in trade conversations regarding QB Matthew Stafford and OT Orlando Brown Jr., they ultimately pulled out. GM Martin Mayhew spent time in Fargo with North Dakota State QB Trey Lance, so it’s possible that Washington will look to move up if they’re set on him as their quarterback of the future. But if Washington stays put Moehrig, who they’re believed to be quite high on, could be the choice. The former TCU standout is expected to be the first safety off the board.

Moehrig checked in at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds as he ran a very respectable 40-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.59, showing impressive acceleration off the line. The TCU safety also posted a 33" vertical jump, which is considered below average for the safety position. His range and awareness as a coverage defender is a huge premium in today’s pass-heavy NFL. Moehrig has been steadily rising up draft boards in the post-season evaluation process and projects to be one of the first safeties selected in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.

Nothing is set in stone just yet. For now, Pauline is merely reporting that Moehrig is “likely” to declare, not that he has done it just yet. Moehrig still has a couple of months to make a final decision, but with so much uncertainty swirling around college football right now, it makes sense that a player as talented as Moehrig may just want to leave. Moehrig, a 6-foot-2 and 202-pound S, is expected to be one of the first DBs off the board in April, if he were to actually declare. His range and awareness as a coverage defender is a huge premium in today’s pass-heavy NFL.

Moehrig (6'2"/202) is coming off of an excellent 2019 season in which he tallied 62 total tackles (43 solo, 1.5 for loss), four interceptions, 15 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. As a result he was named first team All-Big 12, and last month he was named to the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Award. As for his NFL prospects, Moehrig has a shot at being a first round pick next spring according to Brugler. “In coverage, he smoothly unlocks his hips to quickly transition, using his long strides to accelerate with deep patterns,” Brugler wrote in his analysis of Moehrig. “Along with his field range, Moehrig is always ball searching, showing a knack for disrupting the catch point.”

Let’s just say that safety play was not one of the reasons TCU had a mediocre -- at best -- 2019 season. Moehrig (6'2/208) was rated the top safety in the Pro Football Focus rankings, and Ar’Darius Washington came in second. So yes, the Horned Frogs are bringing back the top two safeties -- at least analytically -- in college football next year. “Regardless of where he lined up on the field, Moehrig was elite in coverage by forcing an incompletion on 32% of his 47 targets and picking off four passes,” Treash writes. Sounds like Big 12 quarterbacks better be careful when targeting the middle of field in 2020.