Malachi Moore may have entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick, but one respected evaluator believes the New York Jets might’ve landed much more than just mid-round depth.
Bleacher Report’s Cory Giddings likened Moore to longtime Patriots legend Devin McCourty in his pre-draft scouting report. McCourty is, of course, a three-time All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowler, and was a notorious Jets nemesis for over a decade.
The Rutgers product spent 13 seasons in New England, terrorizing the AFC East as a cerebral, versatile defensive back with high-end leadership traits. And if Moore becomes even a fraction of the player McCourty was, the Jets will have hit a home run.
This is the fifth installmentin our ongoing series comparing each Jets draft pick to their projected NFL counterpart. Links to the previous four articles can be found at the bottom of this story.
Malachi Moore's NFL comparison is Devin McCourty
There are some striking similarities between Moore and McCourty. Both were 5-foot-11, sub-200-pound defensive backs with cornerback experience, special teams versatility, and reputations as high-character captains with off-the-charts football IQ.
Moore started 46 games at Alabama, played nearly 500 special teams snaps, and earned praise throughout the pre-draft process for his intelligence and maturity. McCoruty was similarly an experienced special-teams ace at Rutgers, appearing in over 50 games in college.
Moore was a five-year contributor at Alabama, trusted to line up at multiple positions across the secondary in Nick Saban’s famously complex defense. He started games at strong safety, free safety, and in the slot, showing the type of football IQ and versatility that McCourty was known for coming out of Rutgers.
That versatility is part of what made Moore such an intriguing Day 3 value for a Jets defense that values hybrid safeties under new head coach Aaron Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
Physically, Moore mirrors McCourty’s profile almost exactly. Both checked in at just under 6-feet tall and around 195 pounds. Neither blew up the Combine with freak athleticism, but each had enough speed and agility to hold their own in coverage.
They’re cut from the same mold: smart, sound, well-prepared defensive backs who rarely make mental mistakes and can be relied on to play situational football at a high level.
The Jets don’t need Moore to start immediately, but there’s a clear path to playing time. Andre Cisco is penciled in as a starter on a one-year deal, while Tony Adams enters a pivotal season after being benched late in 2024.
Moore’s experience, leadership, and reliability could help him leapfrog Adams at some point in the season, especially if the former undrafted free agent struggles. Even if he begins the year in a rotational role, it wouldn't be a surprise to see his playing time increase as the season goes on.
The Jets have been burned by inconsistency in the safety room for years. If Moore develops into anything close to the player McCourty was — someone who played 200+ career games and became the heart of the Patriots' defense — it could stabilize the back end of this defense for years to come.
The pick didn’t make national headlines, but Malachi Moore could quietly become one of the Jets’ most important rookie contributors.
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