Chiefs rookie already looking ready to fill Tyreek Hill void

The Kansas City Chiefs responded to the Tyreek Hill trade by picking up a promising wide receiver prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft: Skyy Moore. 

As training camp kicked off on Saturday, Arrowhead Pride editor Pete Sweeney offered some of his initial impressions of the Chiefs‘ light roster.

Thirty players were in attendance, including Patrick Mahomes and the three quarterbacks lined up behind him in camp. The players were playing 7-on-7, and on Day 1 of camp, Mahomes had already slung the ball to six different receivers.

One of them was rookie wideout Skyy Moore, who arrived at camp without the thigh compression sleeve he sported during OTAs. Moore declared himself a “full go,” and head coach Andy Reid enthusiastically agreed with what he saw from Moore on Saturday.

“He looked smooth out here… strong,” Reid said. “His leg looked like it held up pretty good. He’s got those big legs — different than a lot of receivers. He’s got like running back legs. But he was smooth. Good hands… catches it easy.”

Although Mahomes spread the ball around, two of his first three completions went to Moore, an indication that the electric rookie has the potential to become Patrick’s go-to guy in Kansas City.

Skyy Moore impresses Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes in training camp

Tyreek Hill got the nickname “Cheetah” for good reason, so it’s worth observing how Hill and Moore match up with NFL Combine and Pro Day stats. As a reminder, Tyreek Hill was not invited to the NFL Combine in 2016 and was drafted in the fifth round.

Hill bested Moore in several categories, including the 40 yard dash (4.29 seconds to 4.41 seconds), vertical leap (40.5 inches to 34.5 inches), and the 20-yard shuttle (4.06 seconds to 4.32 seconds). But the difference is slight, and if the NFL Combine’s pre-assessment of Hill proves anything, it’s that these metrics are not always accurate in determining a player’s actual worth. Yes, Hill was and is incredibly fast, but he was only .12 faster than Moore in the 40-yard dash. Hill’s chemistry with Mahomes was key, as was his explosiveness that left defensive backs in his dust.

Moore may not have the same stats, but he’s already getting looks and is securing catches, which is critical. Per NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, Moore has the profile of a slot receiver rather than a deep threat, as Moore has “just average separation potential.” Even if he hasn’t sprinted to get the kind of separation Hill has gotten, Moore is “courageous working into the teeth of the defense and tenacious to come up with contested catches from anywhere on the field.” The same height as Hill at 5’10”, Moore will employ the tools he has at his disposal, such as his renowned tenacity.

Tyreek Hill and Skyy Moore are different, but similar in a key way: Moore is looking to become the down-field security that Mahomes enjoyed with Hill for so many years.