San Francisco 49ers: Complete rookie grades from 2018 NFL Draft class
Round 3, Pick 95: Cornerback Tarvarius Moore
Grading defensive back Tarvarius Moore is rather difficult, not because he was bad, but because he was really two different players. Moore was one of the 49ers’ top gunners on special teams up until the Ahkello Witherspoon injury, where he then became the starting cornerback.
Now, as solely a gunner, Moore was get an A-grade, for special teams. But, in my eyes, while special teams contributions are significant, Moore wasn’t drafted by the 49ers to be a gunner. He was drafted to be a starting cornerback. And for that reason, I’ll be relatively discounting his special teams work. It will apply to his final grade, but not by much.
I also have to admit that I am very biased in the favor of Moore. That being said, Moore was average as a starting cornerback. When he first came in against Seattle, he gave up a touchdown and a few first downs, but all in all managed to play relatively well considering the circumstances.
Moore was playing pretty well by the end of the year, but it wasn’t earth-shattering or anything. He was picked on relentlessly by opposing quarterbacks, who didn’t dare test cornerback Richard Sherman on the opposite side. On that fourth-quarter play against the Chicago Bears in Week 16, where Moore forced a fumble to give the 49ers a chance, he did actually give a game-ending first down, but Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson chose not to go to the turf, which would have sealed the win for Chicago right then and there.
Overall, there wasn’t much tape put by Moore. As I wrote after the Seattle game, Moore has the tools and talent to be a top-notch corner, but there isn’t enough to determine how well he played. In a year though, that could all change.