Before the NFL draft, some pundits projected Iowa cornerback Riley Moss as a potential candidate to transition to safety in the NFL.
After trading up for Moss in the third round of the NFL draft last week, Broncos coach Sean Payton made it clear that Moss will not be a safety in Denver.
“[T]here [is] a clear vision for him and it’s corner,” Payton said.
Moss ran a 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds at the NFL combine, faster than the 4.46-second 40-yard dash Pat Surtain ran at his pro day in 2021. That kind of speed could prove to be a great addition to Vance Joseph’s secondary.
“[W]e picked and tugged and hosed down and looked at every tape,” Payton said of scouting Moss. “He was in [for a top-30 visit]. All the numbers, prototype — we loved the make-up. We spent as much time on this player because this was one of these players that we felt like in the very beginning was going to be one of these decisions. Sure enough, he was.”
In addition to Surtain, Moss will be joining a cornerback room that also includes Damarri Mathis, K’Waun Williams and Tremon Smith, among others. Right now, Moss and Mathis are likely the top candidate to compete for the CB2 job across from Surtain.
Moss will be a cornerback with the Broncos, and a starting job could be within reach as he enters his rookie season.
