Seahawks found quite a catch in former East Central wideout
David Moore has been a pleasant surprise for the Seattle Seahawks.
The former star receiver at East Central University in Ada was taken in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was on the practice squad for most of his rookie season before getting promoted to the roster late in the year.
This season, the 6-foot, 215-pounder has been as one of Russell Wilson’s favorite targets.
After a slow start to the season, Moore had a breakout month in October and caught four touchdown passes.
From Division II football to the NFL, Moore’s journey to the league was vastly different than most players and he isn’t taking anything for granted.
“You never know what you could be doing the next day, so I really try to keep a clear head and just play football,” Moore said in a phone interview with
The Oklahoman.
Moore grew up in Gainesville, Texas, a town of roughly 16,000 near the Oklahoma border.
The youngest of four kids, Moore’s interest in athletics began at an early age, which was the case for most kids growing up in Gainesville, he said.
“If you didn’t play sports, people thought you were weird,” Moore said. “We always had a ball in our hand doing something — always active."
As a senior at Gainesville High School, Moore made 40 catches for 700 yards and 12 total touchdowns.
Moore said his best offers out of high school came from Division II schools in Oklahoma. ECU seemed like the best fit because he formed a strong connection with the coaches. It was also appealing because Ada is within 100 miles of Gainesville.
“They’re just all good people and I felt like it was home and I was close to my family,” Moore said of his decision to play for the Tigers.
Moore was dominant throughout his collegiate career and set school records in receiving yards (2,776) and touchdowns (35).
NFL scouts noticed, and as Moore entered his senior season, he realized a future in the NFL was possible.
After a superb senior season, Moore hired an agent and began preparing for the draft.
He trained at Athlete Inc., a training facility in Oklahoma City, to prepare for his pro day at the University of Central Oklahoma.
After an impressive pro day, Moore was selected by the Seahawks with the 226th pick of the draft. Former Oklahoma State running back Chris Carson was selected by Seattle 23 picks later. Now, both are playing key roles in the offense.
Moore said he didn’t expect to get drafted and was caught off guard when he received the call.
He has come a long way since then.
He is third on the team with 310 receiving yards and has clearly left a good impression on the Seahawks, who recently cut six-time Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall due to Moore’s emergence.
Despite having a breakout year, Moore said, his approach to the game is the same it was during his playing days in Gainesville and Ada.
“I just play football. I go out there and have fun,” he said.
As for his plans after the NFL, Moore said, “(I’ll) go back to Texas and just coach football. Have a little family. A little house somewhere out in the country.”
The way Moore is playing, it will likely be a while before that happens.