MORE: Rondale Moore's playmaking ability has attention of NFL | Derrick Barnes' NFL draft stock is rising | Hermanns, Neal, Coyle hope to hear names called in NFL draft | NFL scout dishes on Purdue's draft prospects
Rondale Moore is an Arizona Cardinal.
The Purdue receiver had to wait until Friday, the second day of the 2021 NFL draft, to hear his name, going in the second round with the 49th overall pick.
Moore left Purdue a year early following a career that began with a bang but was knocked off track by injury the last two seasons. Moore could be a dynamic weapon in the offense of Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, who figures to deploy Moore in a variety of ways.
Other notable Boilermakers who were second-round NFL picks: FB Mike Alstott (Buccaneers) in 1996 and QB Drew Brees (Chargers) in 2001.
Moore is the first Purdue player selected by the Cardinals since defensive tackle Dave Butz in 1973, when the franchise was in St. Louis.
The New Albany, Ind., native and crown jewel in Jeff Brohm's 2018 recruiting class, Moore impressed at Purdue's pro day in March. He flashed his trademark speed and looked to be in top shape. He measured just 5-7, but that wasn't gonna scare NFL teams that were intrigued by his deadly combination of speed, strength and explosiveness.
Moore made a splashy debut in 2018, when he became the first true freshman in Big Ten history to garner consensus All-American honors. That year, Moore caught 114 passes for 1,258 yards and 12 TDs, while also rushing for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
But Moore's final two seasons at Purdue were marred by hamstring issues that limited him to seven games--four in 2019 and three in 2020. Moore caught a total of 64 passes for 657 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing nine times for 35 yards and a TD the last two seasons.
Moore initially opted out of the 2020 season on Aug. 6 before the Big Ten had announced Aug. 11 it was postponing the campaign due to the pandemic. Moore cited "unprecedented circumstances" surrounding the coronavirus pandemic as his reason for opting out. When the Big Ten announced Sept. 16 it would have a nine-game season, Moore opted back in on Sept. 24 after learning about the league's enhanced safety protocols.
The last Purdue receiver drafted was DeAngelo Yancey, who went in the fifth round of the 2017 draft to the Packers.
Moore is the first Boilermaker selected in the 2021 draft. Linebacker Derrick Barnes is expected to be the next Purdue player picked. Offensive tackle Grant Hermanns, safety Tyler Coyle and defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal also remain on the board.
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