Darnell Mooney was a bit of a surprise when the Chicago Bears traded up from the 6th round to the 5th to get him in the draft. His name had surfaced once or twice in conversations over the past few months. He'd had a decent career at Tulane but never stood out as their primary star. So what was all the fuss about? For most it was obvious.
His speed.
Mooney announced himself to the wider football world when he ran a blistering 4.38 in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. When going back and watching his tape, it jumped off the screen a number of times. The kid can fly and made it look so effortless at times. Yet there was something about his football career up to this point that was a bit lost in the shuffle.
Mooney always seemed to show up against big-time opponents.
Darnell Mooney seems to elevate his play against big opponents
It really started in high school at Gadsden City. In the 2014 state playoffs opener against Hewitt-Trussville, he returned a kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown. Then the next week he scored two big touchdowns against heavily favored Oak Mountain to push his team to the semifinals. So the tendency to show up in those big spots was there.
During his freshman year at Tulane, his team went into Houston against a team that would end up 9-4 that season. They were led by a defense that ranked 30th in the nation. That didn't seem to intimidate him as Mooney caught seven passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. The next season they traveled to Memphis who was en route to a 10-3 record themselves. He had 70 yards and a touchdown that afternoon.
A year later he really began to emerge.
One game that got people talking was against powerhouse Ohio State. While the final score was inevitable, Mooney still battled against a secondary loaded with future 1st round picks for 77 yards on four catches. Keep in mind he's doing this with quarterbacks who didn't even crack the NFL as undrafted free agents.
The 2019 season was easily his biggest showcase. Mooney went into Auburn and made three catches for 48 yards against future 1st round pick Noah Igbinoghene. A few weeks later he gashed 12-2 Memphis for 65 yards and a touchdown. Despite Tulane being a run-first team throughout his time in college, the kid made plays when needed. His 18-yard grab in the Armed Forces Bowl against Southern Mississippi is what really woke Tulane out of their early funk, overcoming a 13-0 deficit to win 30-13.
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