Green Bay Packers 2021 NFL Draft Prospects to Know: DB Trevon Moehrig

New Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry is bringing over a version of the Vic Fangio-style of defense that was run by Brandon Staley with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020. This defense was tops in the NFL last season in points per game allowed and relies heavily on the safety group.

Pre-snap what the defense is showing oftentimes ends up looking quite different than what the defense actually runs—in a way trying to achieve that “illusion of complexity” that Matt LaFleur talks about on the offensive side of the ball.

This, in turn, requires a lot from the safety position, who is tasked with numerous responsibilities. Fortunately for the Green Bay Packers, they have the best safety duo in football in Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos, but with inexperienced depth behind them in Vernon Scott and Henry Black, along with Will Redmond, that doesn’t mean they won’t look to bolster the position in the draft.  And TCU’s Trevon Moehrig is the type of player that could make a big impact.

Moehrig is listed as a safety, but he lined up all over the field for the Horn Frogs. A two-year starter at TCU, Moehrig took 441 snaps in the box, another 683 in the slot, and 341 as a free safety during that span.

In coverage, Moehrig was targeted 88 times over those two seasons but allowed a completion rate of just 51 percent and 11 yards per catch. He also had excellent ball production, tallying six interceptions and 20 total pass breakups—leading all safeties in that category during both the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

As PFF notes, Moehrig played a lot of split coverage in TCU’s defense which meant he was matched up on slot receivers often, and he handled himself beautifully. Moehrig ranked 14th out of 200 eligible cornerbacks and safeties in yards per snap allowed this past season from the slot, according to PFF ($$).

In today’s NFL, whether you’re talking offense or defense, versatility is King, and Moehrig will certainly provide that. Here is what Jordan Reid of The Draft Network had to say about his game:

"“A consistent and urgent single-high player, he’s a free-flowing mover that’s at his best when able to patrol the middle of the field. With seven career interceptions, he’s proven to not only be a constant ball disruptor, but he’s a safety that can change the momentum of games by getting the ball back to his team.His biggest improvements must come in run support, as he’s a safety that isn’t afraid to come up and tackle, but his tactics and aggressiveness while doing so can be out of control. Moehrig is also reliable in man coverage, but his eye discipline while doing so will need to improve as he is premature with looking back to the quarterback, which is why he’s been a popular double-move target for opposing offenses.”"

Both PFF and The Draft Network are incredibly high on Moehrig — as they should be — with him being rated as the top safety in this class by both sites–with PFF’s Mike Renner saying it’s not particularly close either. Moehrig is also the 17th rated player overall at PFF and he’s the 28th ranked prospect over at The Draft Network.

If the Green Bay Packers want to land Moehrig, they’ll likely have to do so in the first round, and it might take a little luck as well in order for him to fall to pick 29. The NFL Mock Draft Database projects Moehrig as a first-round pick, with their consensus mock draft having him landing in Jacksonville at pick 25 based on the countless mock drafts that have been taken into account–do with that information what you will.

On the surface, safety certainly isn’t considered a top need for this Green Bay Packers team, but given his versatile skill-set and what is asked of the safeties in this new Joe Barry defense, if Moehrig is on the board at pick 29, don’t be surprised if the Packers take him over an offensive tackle or a cornerback.