The Jets have swapped picks with the Eagles, moving up to pick No. 130 in the fourth round to select Alabama safety Malachi Moore. Philadelphia will receive pick Nos. 145 and 207 in the exchange.
The picks heading to the City of Brotherly Love are New York’s original fifth-round selection and a sixth-round pick the team acquired in the trade sending wide receiver Mecole Hardman back to Kansas City in 2023, after he had signed with the Jets as a free agent. While Hardman proved ineffectual in New York, his signing shows some worth today as it allows the team to trade up for Moore.
While Moore lacks ideal size and weight, the former member of the Crimson Tide plays much bigger than his frame suggests. Moore loves to lay the boom, though he can draw the occasional penalty as a result. Moore’s competitive motor helped him to overcome a lack of elite speed traits to grade out extremely favorably in pass coverage, per Pro Football Focus, in 2024. He had a couple pedestrian seasons after losing his grip on the starting role following a strong true freshman year, in which he notched nine passes defensed and three interceptions. As a COVID fifth-year senior, Moore had a resurgent campaign with 10 passes defensed, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
The team signed former Jaguars safety Andre Cisco in free agency to likely start alongside Tony Adams in the defensive backfield. After a down year for Cisco, though, Moore adds some competitive depth at the position and could develop into an impact player in the right hands. Until he proves he’s ready for that, his extensive special teams experience at Alabama will be extremely useful in New York.