The Carolina Panthers desperately need to find their go-to wide receiver in 2019. One guy who could be ready to claim that title is DJ Moore.
Moore was selected by the Panthers with the 24th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. It took a few weeks for the rookie to get into the starting lineup, but he made the most of his opportunities.
The Maryland product had 55 receptions, 788 yards, and two touchdowns in 2018. The Panthers' wide receiver started in 10 games, getting his first start in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens.
In that game, DJ Moore caught five passes for 90 yards against a stingy Ravens secondary. A few weeks later in Week 10, Moore made people take notice with his performance.
The speedy wideout had seven receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown against the Detroit Lions. The Lions don't have an elite secondary, but those numbers are still impressive for a rookie.
This offseason, Carolina let Devin Funchess leave in free agency, making room for someone to step up into the top receiver spot. Moore should get the first shot at being the go-to guy in the passing game.
Is Moore ready to rise to stardom in his second season with the Panthers? His skill set and his ability as a wide receiver make it possible.
It seems that since Steve Smith left Carolina in 2013, the Panthers have been yearning for somebody to be a dynamic weapon for Cam Newton. Kelvin Benjamin disappointed them and Funchess didn't seem to fit as a number one receiver.
It's hard to find someone with the moxie and competitiveness of Smith. Furthermore, Smith put together a Hall of Fame career in his 16 NFL seasons. The Panthers are hoping for a similar level of production from their 2018 first-round pick.
No one is saying Moore is the next Steve Smith in any shape or form. DJ Moore can simply be… DJ Moore. Yet, both receivers are under six feet tall and play bigger than their size suggests.
The mixture of speed and skills as a wide receiver makes the potential of Moore go through the ceiling, especially when you partner that with the deep-throwing ability of Cam Newton under center.
Hopefully, the Panthers' franchise quarterback can return to being a healthy version of himself in 2019 after receiving shoulder surgery this offseason. If he can, the Panthers' offense is capable of being one of the best in the NFL.
People forget that at one point in the 2018 season, the Panthers were one of the best teams in the NFL before Newton got hurt and the team kept spiraling downward. Carolina is hoping to improve with its young weapons around Newton.
The Carolina offense was most successful when the Panthers took deep shots down the field and Christian McCaffrey was doing a little bit of everything. Moore's first touchdown in his rookie season came on a 51-yard touchdown pass from Newton in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons.
It was the first glimpse of what the young wideout can bring to the Panthers. Carolina fans hope to see more and more of that in 2019.
As numbers go, his rookie season may not have been stellar in 2018. DJ Moore could leap into stardom as Carolina's number one wideout in 2019.
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