Every year, NFL teams have proven they can find immediate contributors at running back in the later rounds of the draft.
One such candidate in this year’s deep class of runners? Appalachian State’s Jalin Moore.
A tough runner who loves to grind out the difficult yards, Moore recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, how he prefers to attack an opposing defense, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: You leave Appalachian State as one of the most successful running backs in school history. What comes to mind when I make a statement like that?
JM: It’s a blessing. Blessings come to mind when I hear you make that statement. It was all apart of the plan, God’s plan that is. Ever since I landed on campus. I just wanted to leave my mark. App State is such a great football school, man.
JM: What was your experience like at the combine?
JM: It was a good experience. It’s a long process but it’s what I’ve been working for my entire life. We were all there to begin living out dreams. I went from watching it on television every year to being a participant. That’s a dream come true for me. It was a blessing to be apart of it and be around so many great players. This is a great draft class. I’m blessed to be apart of it.
JM: You were a limited participant due to an ankle injury. How’s the ankle feeling today?
JM: It’s feeling good. I’m right where I need to be right now. I’m just trying to stay healthy and keep progressing as we head into rookie mini-camp.
JM: Do you anticipate being ready for rookie mini-camp?
JM: Yes sir. I should absolutely be full-systems-go for that.
JM: Have you had a lot of private visits or workouts?
JM: I’ve made top 30 visits to the Saints, Texans, Panthers, Bears and Chiefs.
JM: What was the strangest question you were asked at the combine?
JM: I didn’t really get asked anything strange. I guess I was one of the lucky ones. Teams had questions about the ankle, of course. They asked about my rehab process and what not. That was the main topic of discussion. I didn’t get asked anything too crazy.
JM: Do you prefer hitting a 75-yard touchdown, or carrying the ball 6-plus times on a long drive?
JM: I like to get it out the mud, man. I like those tough, hard-nosed runs. Let me carry the ball multiple times on a long drive and really beat the defense down. I wanna punish them out there. Let’s build a long drive chip by chip. There’s nothing wrong with the home run either, though. I just prefer it the other way around.
JM: Who are some of the best defenders you played against?
JM: Derek Barnett was a great defensive end at Tennessee. He was a tough guy to play against. Roquan Smith from Georgia was a dog. He’s a hell of a player. I liked playing against him. Those two really stuck out to me.
JM: What kind of guy is a team getting in Jalin Moore when they use one of their draft picks on him?
JM: They’re getting one of the best, if not the best running back in this draft class. I know the ankle may play a role in my destination. It’s a business and I understand how that goes. I know a team may feel they’re taking a risk on me but other than that, they’re getting a hard working guy. I’m gonna come in ready to learn and respect the guys in the room. I’m gonna build my character. My goal is to win a Super Bowl at the end of the day.
