Riley Moss NFL Draft Scouting Report

CB, Iowa Hawkeyes

Riley Moss has been a fixture in the Iowa secondary since 2018 where he played in 54 games with 38 starts for the Hawkeyes. A high school defensive back and wide receiver, Moss was also a highly accomplished track athlete as a sprinter and hurdler. At Iowa, Moss has been recognized as the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2021 and earned the Iowa team hustle award. 

An experienced defender, Riley Moss has made his share of noise with his ball production, hauling in 11 interceptions and 26 pass breakups. Moss is an instinctive defender in zone coverage where his ability to cue the backfield and work into throwing lanes is a notable strength of his game. Moss is consistent with his coverage spacing and how he stays leveraged in zone. His background as a receiver shows up when he’s challenged and has an opportunity to make a play on the football. Moss is a sound run defender that knows how to fit the run, take on contact, and spill runs back toward the inside. He is physical when taking on blocks, often forcing the ball carrier to slow his feet because the anticipated space is unavailable. It’s easy to love how competitive Moss is when he has the chance to be physical whether that’s in press coverage, at the top of routes, at the catch point, playing off contact, and tackling which suggests he can provide notable value on special teams. 

While his straight-line speed is sufficient, I don’t find Moss to be a twitchy or dynamic mover that can mirror and match routes with consistency in man coverage. Moss has ordinary length, which is not ideal for a corner that projects to a zone scheme at the next level. While he isn’t a passive tackler or downhill player, there are too many missed tackle attempts due to inconsistent angles and failure to securely wrap up the ball carrier. Is a move to safety necessary for him to find success at the next level?

Moss has the makeup of a player that can provide valuable depth and strong special teams contributions. In the right situation, I wouldn’t rule out him making an impact on defense given his football intelligence, ball skills, and physicality. 

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Ball skills
• Competitive toughness
• Football IQ

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Man coverage
• Length given projected role
• Missed tackles

Size (NFL Combine):

Height: 6′ 1”

Weight: 193 lbs

Arm Length: 30”

Hand Size: 9 1/2”

Athletic Testing (NFL Combine):

40-yard Dash: 4.45s

Vertical Jump: 39”

Broad Jump: 10′ 7”

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: TBD

Ideal Role: Outside cornerback and special teams

Scheme Fit: Zone coverage

Prospect Comparison: 

TDN Consensus Grade: 71.50/100 (Fifth-Round Value)

• Marino Grade: 71.50/100

Written By: Joe Marino

Exposures: Indiana (2021), Penn State (2021), Kentucky (2021), Iowa State (2022), Kentucky (2022), Ohio State (2022)

Riley Moss NFL Draft Scouting Report. Add him to your big board here.