Getty Staff Writer Nate Tice of The Athletic projects head coach Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts to draft Western Michigan wide receiver Skyy Moore.
The Indianapolis Colts have been connected to different wide receivers in the second round of NFL mock drafts this offseason.
NFL staff writer Nate Tice of The Athletic linked the Colts to yet another wideout in the 2022 draft class in his new NFL mock draft released on April 21.
With their first pick in the second round, Tice projected the Colts to select Western Michigan wide receiver Skyy Moore at No. 42 overall.
“Moore gives the Colts a totally different type of body in their receiver room,” Tice wrote. “He can win on the inside and outside with his route running, and he has the ball skills to make the most out of every target.”
Moore was a breakout star with the Broncos during 2021, posting a career-high 95 receptions for 1,292 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games.
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How Skyy Moore Fits With Colts
Tice described Moore as a versatile route runner that can line up as an outside or inside receiver. But NFL analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com labeled Moore a best fit for the slot.
“Productive three-year starter with decent athleticism and good ball skills but just average separation potential. Moore is courageous working into the teeth of the defense and tenacious to come up with contested catches from anywhere on the field,” Zierlein wrote. “His ball skills and toughness create opportunities as a reliable target and capable route-runner from release to whistle.
“His best fit is from the slot, but long-term success will depend on his ability to keep fine-tuning his craft.”
Zierlein also described Moore as “lacking acceleration out of break points” but the Western Michigan product ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds. That good vertical speed could be very useful to the Colts anywhere on the field and particularly in the slot.
Moore had more receptions and yards during his third college season than his first two college years combined but that was in part due to the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He was productive in all three of his college seasons.
As a freshman, Moore recorded 51 catches for 802 yards, as he averaged 15.7 yards per catch. In 2020, Moore registered 25 receptions and 388 yards in five games.
He finished his college career with 171 catches, 2,482 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns, 16 of which were receiving scores.
Colts Biggest Need at Wide Receiver
While general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich have expressed confidence in their wide receivers, the Colts currently have one of the youngest and most inexperienced group of wideouts in the NFL.
Keke Coutee is the oldest receiver on the Indianapolis roster at 25 years old. Michael Pittman, who recorded his first 1,000-yard season last year, is the team’s top outside target. Pittman is entering his third NFL season this fall.
But outside of Pittman, Coutee is the only receiver on the Colts roster to even record a 400-yard season.
Parris Campbell and Ashton Dulin are the two likeliest candidates to compete for the starting receiver role opposite Pittman. Campbell and Dulin have a combined 52 catches for 603 receiving yards in their careers.
In a perfect world, the Colts will add one, if not two, receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft. That won’t change the youth of the group, but it could add talent to the receiver room.
With the position in flux, adding a rookie such as Moore, who could excel in the slot or play outside, sounds intriguing.