Elijah Moore Deserves More Respect in Rookie of the Year Conversation
By Peter Dewey
New York Jets rookie wideout Elijah Moore turned some heads at OTAs this offseason, and he looks primed for a major role in the Jets’ offense.
With Zach Wilson all but guaranteed to be the team’s starting quarterback, Moore could be the second Jets rookie to lock up a starting spot.
The second-round pick has flashed some serious explosiveness so far in camp, and the oddsmakers at WynnBET have taken notice.
One of #Jets WR Elijah Moore’s (@e_moore03) best traits is his unique ability to start & stop like a Ferrari. He snags the pass from Zach Wilson (@zachkapono1) sprints upfield then SKURR hit the brakes & CJ Mosley (@TreyDeuce32RTR) is on skates. Is it training camp yet? ?@nyjets pic.twitter.com/16LFVfotjG
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) June 30, 2021
Moore has +12000 odds to lead the NFL in receiving yards this season, and while he’s a major longshot to lead the league, he has the third-best odds of any rookie pass catcher behind Ja’Marr Chase (+6000) and DeVonta Smith (+10000).
Moore’s odds are ahead of Jaylen Waddle (+20000) and Kyle Pitts (+20000) who were both top-six draft picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. If that doesn’t get Jets fans excited for Moore’s potential, I don’t know what will.
With Moore expected to be one of New York’s leading receivers, it is interesting that his Offensive Rookie of the Year odds currently sit at just +6600. While it’s rare for a wide receiver to win the award, Chase, Waddle, Smith, Rashod Bateman, Kadarius Toney, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Amari Rodgers, Terrace Marshall Jr., and Rondale Moore all have better odds than Moore.
That seems disrespectful, and while Wilson is the most likely Jet to earn Rookie of the Year honors, it’s hard to justify Moore being the 10th receiver on the odds list for the award.
It’s going to be hard for any wideout to win Rookie of the Year, as the last player to do so was Odell Beckham Jr. back in 2014, but there have been three wideouts (OBJ, Anquan Boldin and Percy Harvin) to earn the award since 2003.
This seems like a year where Wilson, Trevor Lawrence, or another quarterback is destined for the award, but Elijah Moore deserves some more love when talking about the league’s best rookies.