The Carolina Panthers selected former Maryland wide receiver DJ Moore with the 24th pick of the NFL draft Thursday night.
The 6-foot, 210-pound Philadelphia native was the first Terp and the first receiver selected in the draft.
NFL Draft Analyst Mike Mayock had deemed Moore the top receiver in this year’s draft.
Moore’s NFL combine performance helped make him a can’t-miss prospect. Among wide receivers, he had the best broad jump (132 in.), second-best vertical jump (39.5 in.), fifth-best 40-yard dash (4.42) and ranked in the top-three of the 20-yard and 60-yard shuttles.
At Moore’s pro day earlier this month, the Panthers pulled him aside to run extra routes.
The 2017 Big Ten Receiver of the Year, Moore started all 12 games last season, securing 80 catches for 1,033 yards and eight touchdowns. Moore is the third receiver in program history to reach the 1,000-yard mark.
Moore’s success in his final season came despite losing the team’s top-two quarterbacks, Tyrrell Pigrome and Kasim Hill to season-ending injuries. He’s the first wide receiver from a Power 5 conference since 2008 to record at least 1,000 receiving yards while playing alongside a quarterback that didn’t throw for 1,500 yards.
Moore also set a program record in receptions in 2017.
During his time in College Park, Moore proved to be among Maryland’s most consistent receivers. Dating back to his freshman year, Moore posted 35 consecutive starts, recording a catch in 33 consecutive contests. His 17 career touchdown receptions rank fourth in Terps history.
Moore is the first Maryland first-rounder since 2009, when the Oakland Raiders selected wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick.
