NFL Draft
2/26/25
6 min read
Malachi Moore 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Alabama Crimson Tide SAF
Height: 6000 (unofficial)
Weight: 201lbs (unofficial)
Year: Redshirt Senior
Pro Comparison: Nate Allen
Scouting Overview
Alabama Crimson Tide safety Malachi Moore projects as a potential sufficient-level starter at the NFL level. Moore found more stability with his play in 2024 when moved to the back end of the Tide defense, where he spent less time in the slot than he did under Nick Saban.
Moore found ball production, consistent tackling from depth, and illustrated his sound fundamentals for the position — but does so with what appears to be a sufficient level of athleticism that could put a potential cap and limit on his ability to make impact plays.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Sound instincts and play diagnosis skills playing from depth
- Is impactful with his hands to deconstruct blocks on the edge or in space in run support
- Boasts more than 500 career special teams snaps across kickoff coverage, kickoff return, punt return, and punt coverage as a core teams player
Negatives
- Does not appear to have second gear in pursuit or transition to boast vast range from the roof
- Can be a victim of steep angles into the line of scrimmage that compromise his pursuit angles when runs bounce or break free
- Despite his missed tackle rate, Moore can be a cut tackler who drops low on ball carriers, which could produce variance
Background
Moore is from Trussville, AL, and played high school football at Hewitt-Trussville HS. His father, Torrey, was a college basketball player at Middle Tennessee State. Malachi was a consensus 4-star recruit out of high school and received numerous accolades — he was a participant in Nike’s "The Opening" and invited to play in the All-American Bowl. Moore committed to Alabama as a member of the team’s 2020 recruiting class over teams such as Auburn and Georgia.
As a freshman in 2020, Moore earned the starting ‘STAR’ role for the Tide defense. He played in and started 11 games before missing the end of the season due to injury. He was named SEC All-Freshman and Second Team All-SEC for his play.
Moore collected playing time in 15 games for Alabama in 2021 and another 13 games in 2022. He was named a permanent captain for the Tide in 2023, starting 13 games during his senior season. Moore took advantage of a 5th season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned for the 2024 season. He was named First Team-All SEC for his play and started in 12 games before missing the bowl game due to injury.
Tale Of The Tape
Moore is a sharp player who plays the game with an edge and toughness that is easy to appreciate. He’s not an overly dynamic athlete, but his playing experience, diversity of roles, and physicality make him an attractive option for teams looking to bolster their safety room with football intelligence and toughness. Moore played more of a deep coverage role for the Tide in 2024, offering some optimism about pathways for NFL success.
In the run game, this is a physical player who attacks blockers with very good urgency. His hands are heavy, and he’ll create knockbacks at first contact against wide receivers and tight ends alike, showing the ability to soften exit angles off of contact.
In these instances, he is confident to step up and cut off the pathway of the ball carrier and shut down carries before they turn upfield. These reps have shines in the red area and in short yardage alike.
Moore saw his missed tackle rate dramatically reduced in 2024 (6.8 percent), nearly half of his career total. When Moore misses, it is usually because he attempts to cut ball carriers low rather than challenging himself as a wrap-up tackler. Teams will need to be cognizant of balancing his alignment versatility with these habits moving forward.
Against the pass, the deeper portions of the field may create projection challenges for Moore in coverage. He appears to have sufficient speed and range on the back end. Still, he does not appear to have the high-post appeal to play high amounts of single-high safety.
He’d be better protected playing deep half assignments as a split-field player. He would benefit from being the safety who spins down into the intermediate area of the field when coverage dictates single-high. These opportunities would put Moore in position to play intermediate zones and, potentially, play the run.
Moore does not offer the kind of mirror upside to play off-man coverage, but he has illustrated the ability to punch firmly in press and collision. He’d be well utilized in the nickel in this regard, and his physicality is certainly capable of disrupting the timing of releases from size players in the slot.
Moore has appealing qualities in most phases of the game, but those skills aren’t necessarily complementary — which his future team will need to be mindful of when crafting a proper game plan if he’s in the lineup.
Moore looks like a key special teams contributor with his tackling and block deconstruction skills, which sets a high floor for his contributions in a safety room even if he goes without starting. But the blend of low tackle challenges, modest athletic profile, and limited man-coverage appeal leaves him as a player whose starting opportunities may need to be role-specific.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Moore projects as a core special teams contributor and developmental starter at the NFL level. His athletic profile may relegate him to a split-safety-heavy scheme vs. the expanded role he took on in 2024 as a post player.
Still, his experience in the nickel affords him some alignment/role versatility in a zone-heavy coverage scheme, which would allow his block deconstruction skills and run support to shine brightly.
Grade: 72.00/100.00, Fourth Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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