49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Defensive back Tarvarius Moore
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise’s annual “Who Is?” series looks at rookie San Francisco 49ers defensive back Tarvarius Moore, his projected role for 2018 and what we should expect this season.
The San Francisco 49ers are hoping rookie defensive back Tarvarius Moore can seamlessly make the transition from college safety to NFL cornerback.
Moore, whom the Niners picked up in Round 3 (No. 95 overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft, played his college ball at Southern Mississippi. While there, he used his 6-foot-2 and 193-pound frame to great effect as part of the last line of the defense.
His senior year stood out, as Moore registered a whopping 59 solo tackles and three interceptions.
| Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Def | Def | Def | Def | Def | Fumb | Fumb | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | FF |
| *2016 | Southern Mississippi | CUSA | JR | DB | 9 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| *2017 | Southern Mississippi | CUSA | SR | DB | 13 | 59 | 28 | 87 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 54 | 18.0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | Southern Mississippi | 70 | 34 | 104 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 54 | 10.8 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 6/18/2018.
Moore’s physique and body type was convincing enough for the 49ers to draft him, hoping he’d make the transition to an outside corner role. Despite the Niners picking up veteran All-Pro corner Richard Sherman in free agency this offseason, Moore should be viewed as more of the long-term answer at the position.
There are likely to be some difficulties, though. Rookie defensive backs tend to struggle transitioning to the pros. Add on a positional switch, and one can see Moore’s pending learning curve might be steep.
What will he have to do to make the change an easy one?
Why Tarvarius Moore Improves in 2018
Moore didn’t attend the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. But he was able to flash some excellent speed at his pro day, running a 4.32 40-yard time.
This speed should help him keep up with the faster receivers he’ll face at the NFL level.
Having experience at free safety should also help with his recovery skills. His elite-level speed means the sideline-to-sideline abilities aren’t a question mark. So if he gets beat, it isn’t as if Moore would be lost in the process.
Free safeties are also frequently looking at the action in front of them. 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh runs plenty of zone coverages, which often require cornerbacks to perform similar duties.
This should play into Moore’s strengths.
Why He Regresses
Despite having all the physical traits for an ideal Saleh-like cornerback, Moore is inevitably going to have issues with the new position.
Part of this is due to the lack of experience. After all, he was just a one-year starter at Southern Mississippi, and now he’s being asked to do something entirely new at the pro level. One might call into question his ball-pursuit angles too — vital to master in zone coverage. And while he posted five interceptions within the collegiate ranks, his on-field traits don’t suggest he’s much of a ballhawk.
San Francisco 49ers
Any difficulty this offseason will hinder his development. And while a third-round pick is a pretty lofty investment, Moore will likely be relegated to backup duties his rookie season.
Projected Impact with the 49ers in 2018
Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon are the likely Nos. 1 and 2 cornerbacks heading into 2018.
Moore’s direct camp competition will be with fellow defensive backs Jimmie Ward and undrafted rookie Tarvarus McFadden, among others. Like Ward, Moore’s flexibility to double as a safety should be a bonus. Versatility is key among rookie players not likely to earn starting jobs right away.
Considering the amount of attrition the 49ers experienced within their secondary last year, both Moore and Ward’s presence is a good thing.
It’s likely San Francisco exercises patience with Moore’s development. The team surely understands his transition from safety to corner won’t come without bumps, yet his physical makeup and athletic abilities are too high to overlook if he struggles early.
Next: 49ers 2018 offseason positional preview: Cornerback
As for 2018, Moore likely starts off as the team’s No. 4 or 5 cornerback. He might climb the depth chart during the regular season, but don’t expect too much from him his rookie year unless one of the Niners’ starters gets hurt or completely busts.