You're not high enough on D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel for 2020

The LSU Tigers enjoyed a much-needed injection of life to their offense on their way to the 2019 National Championship. They went from the 51st ranked offense in the FBS by expected points added per play in 2018 to the top offense this past season. That explosion out of Baton Rouge is more likely than not going to make Joe Burrow the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and it landed Joe Brady – the Tigers’ passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach – a job as offensive coordinator under new Carolina Panthers’ head coach Matt Rhule. That has things looking up in Charlotte, especially for their duo of talented young receivers – D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel.

Moore’s success over the middle of the field will be maximized under Brady

Since entering the league in 2018, Moore has been one of the top wide receivers in the NFL at routes that get him over the middle of the field where he can make use of his after-the-catch ability. Over that span, he has 62 targets on slants and in routes – fourth in the NFL. Among 46 players with 25 or more targets on those two routes since 2018, Moore ranks third in PFF receiving grade (94.9) behind only DeAndre Hopkins and Michael Thomas, and his 13 broken tackles on those receptions lead the NFL. Those short and intermediate routes over the middle of the field are where he’s at his best, and that’s where he gets most of his work.