Early Looks: FS William Moore (Missouri)

8 Interceptions is all it took emerging star FS William Moore to lead the entire nation last year in picking off the quarterback . This 6'1'' 224 pound free safety from Missouri enters the 2008 season as one of the top defensive play makers and potential top draft choice in the 2009 NFL Draft. In his final six games alone, he recorded 5 INT and 2 forced fumbles. Moore finished the season with 117 tackles. He consistently made plays and was a leader on the field for the Tigers defense.

When watching Moore, he is an absolute force on the field. He plays the safety position like a true center fielder and is constantly around the ball. He possesses great natural instincts, is very athletic, and can accelerate to full speed very quickly. He is also not afraid to lower his shoulder and deliver a blow to the ball carrier, using good form tackling and is explosive upon impact. Moore has decent size and a solid build. He is aggressive, has smooth fluid hips, and does a good job of positioning his body to make a play on the ball. Sometimes he can be a little too aggressive and over shoot a play, but more times than not he makes good decisions. He usually takes very good angles on the ball but can over pursue on deep routes and coverages.

Moore has an uncanny ability to make plays. He is an energetic leader and has that special presence when on the field. He compares favorably to Ed Reed (Ravens) and can be labeled as a game changer. He heads into the 2008 season as a preseason favorite for numerous college awards but is recovering from an off-season shoulder surgery he suffered from the last year's Cotton Bowl 38-7 victory over Arkansas (Moore was named the Defensive MVP of the game). He registered 13 Tackles, an INT returned for a TD and a forced fumble against a Razorback offense led by recent 1st round draft picks RB Darren McFadden (Raiders) and RB Felix Jones (Cowboys).

Outlook: If Moore has another dominant season for the Tigers, expect his name to be listed among the top 10 prospects for the 2009 NFL Draft.

Noteworthy games: Aug 30th vs. Illinois; Oct 18th at Texas; Nov 29th vs. Kansas