The Mooney File
- 173rd pick in the 2020 NFL draft
- One 1,000-yard season, 2021
Is Bigger Always Better
The Chicago Bears were a destination not meant for wide receivers like Darnell Mooney.
A 247 Sports two-star recruit, Mooney was the 351st ranked receiver in his class. He was the 91st ranked wide receiver in his home state of Alabama. He was the 2468th ranked recruit in the country. There are 1,696 players on active rosters each week in the NFL, by the way.
Concerns around his size hampered college offers and cast shadows that followed him until draft day. His speed set him apart in college, but the Bears would need more than that if he would make an impact at the NFL level.
For that, he turned to his ability to separate.
"I think of myself more as a route runner," he started. "And having my speed is just a bonus."
Mooney's route running ability wasn't talked about in a story dominated by size and speed, but when it came time to play against the biggest and the fastest, it helped set him apart.
Not bad for the 2,468th high school senior in the country.