The New York Jets struck a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2025 NFL draft.
Gang Green gave up the No. 145 overall pick in the fifth round and the No. 207 overall pick in the sixth round in exchange for the No. 130 overall pick in the fourth round.
ESPN’s Field Yates confirmed the trade on X previously Twitter.
Eagles trade: Pick 130
Jets trade: Picks 145, 207
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 26, 2025
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With that selection, the Jets picked former Alabama defensive back Malachi Moore.
Following the draft, general manager Darren Mougey revealed how much they “coveted” Moore as a prospect.
“Malachi Moore is a guy we targeted. Obviously a very instinctive tough player, he was a team captain, he is made of the right stuff at safety. He was a guy that we really coveted and targeted early in the day. Glad we added him,” Mougey said.
Jets Receive Massive Praise for the Trade Up
Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick believes Moore can be “one of the steals of the draft.”
“He’s one of the more underrated players in this year’s draft class,” Chadwick added.
✅ Experienced
✅ Leadership
✅ VersatileAlabama’s Malachi Moore will be one of the steals of the draft pic.twitter.com/BQu5iVIp3p
— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 11, 2025
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The Jets’ moving up for Moore was officially the first trade of the Mougey era. On the Bleacher Report draft desk, the Jets earned rave reviews for their conviction of moving up for a player they wanted.
“I’m gonna go with an A [grade]. Love the way he plays,” analyst Michael Felder said.
“Versatility. The Jets are getting a guy who played both safety spots, and he played nickel,” analyst Damian Parson explained. He also praised his football IQ for playing multiple positions at Alabama under the tutelage of legend Nick Saban.
The first trade of the Darren Mougey era!
After moving up with the #Eagles, they snag Alabama DB Malachi Moore & the panel LOVED IT in the 4th round!@ConnorJRogers: ‘Dangerous roaming ball hawk.’ Said he could start at safety in 2025 next to Andre Cisco.@InTheBleachers: ‘I’m… pic.twitter.com/W1sqpYUgMY
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) April 26, 2025
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Opportunity Is There for Moore to Seize the Day
Moore was a day three pick. Despite those humble beginnings, NBC draft analyst Connor Rogers believes Moore could be a starting safety opposite of Andre Cisco in 2025.
Chadwick ranked Moore inside his top-five “late round picks who can make an IMMEDIATE impact this season.”
Late round picks who can make an IMMEDIATE impact this season 💎 pic.twitter.com/EtR1CZSLwl
— PFF (@PFF) April 30, 2025
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Moore, 23, appeared in 64 games during his five years with the Crimson Tide. He registered 25 pass deflections, seven interceptions, 16 tackles for loss, and totaled over 214 tackles.
The reason he slipped on draft day is because of his size. Moore measured in at 5-foot-11 and tipped the scales at 197 pounds.
“Not a high-end athlete — ordinary speed and burst show in man coverage. Average size profile and lacks elite height/weight/length. Doesn’t have [the] suddenness to easily recover, especially vertically,” Dane Brugler explained in “The Beast.”
If you’re going to trust head coach Aaron Glenn with anything, it should probably be his evaluation of secondary players. Glenn spent 15 years at the NFL level and finished as one of the top corners in Jets franchise history.
