CHARLOTTE – Is D.J. Moore the second coming of Steve Smith?
Let's hear from the Panthers legend himself:
"If you really want to know the truth of how I feel, they have never been able to replace me – until today," Smith said on NFL Network after Carolina selected Moore 24th overall. "D.J. Moore will be at that organization for a long time, and I look forward to talking about him."
That's high praise from a guy whose respect can be difficult to earn.
"I think it's a very high bar," head coach Ron Rivera said. "For Steve to say that, that's great. I'm pretty fired up."
It's not really fair to equate Moore with a likely Hall of Famer before he's played a single down in the NFL, but it is fair to say the two wide receivers share similar traits.
Like Smith, Moore excels in creating yards after the catch. He's got the athleticism to make people miss, and he's got the strength to break tackles.
In short, he brings explosiveness and big play potential, just like Smith did for all those years.
"He can line up in the slot; he can line up outside," Smith said. "He's elusive. He'll run through you. He'll run around you and he'll run away from you."
