NFL Analyst Slots Former Utah RB Zack Moss As Top Dark-Horse Candidate For Offensive ROY Award

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – One NFL analyst named former Utah Utes and Buffalo Bills current running back Zack Moss as his top dark-horse candidate to win the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Bills selected Moss with the No. 86 overall pick during the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

NFL Media draft analyst, Lance Zierlein, listed the former Utah ball carrier as the first-year player most likely to surprise people and win the NFL’s top honor for rookies who play an offensive position.

“Moss is unlikely to see the workload it would take for a running back to win this award, as he’ll be competing for carries with Devin Singletary, who’s coming off a nice rookie season,” Zierliein wrote. “That said, Moss is built for the rugged rushing attack that the Bills want to employ. Keep in mind that Singletary had just two rushing touchdowns to Josh Allen’s nine last season. It would behoove the Bills to keep their young quarterback out of harm’s way and allow Moss to do more of the dirty work in the red zone. Given Moss’ violent style and ability to move the chains, he could garner plenty of fourth-quarter carries as the Bills look to put games away.”

“Moss is built for the rugged rushing attack that the @BuffaloBills want to employ.”@PresMoss2 is @LanceZierlein’s dark horse candidate for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. https://t.co/0U3yuQsFbf pic.twitter.com/rzD9kIFVUp

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) July 14, 2020

Top candidates for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

Zierlein listed ten other offensive rookies who he believes are most likely to win the league’s top honor for a first-year offensive player.

These are the rookies he thinks are most likely to win the award:

1. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
3. D’Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions
4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
5. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
6. Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams
7. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
8. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
9. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
10. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

From @LanceZierlein — NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates: Joe Burrow leads field https://t.co/CH7t60XMAF

— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) July 8, 2020

Zack Moss’ Utah Career

The Hialeah Gardens, Florida native had a very successful career at Utah. During his freshman season in 2016, Moss played in 10 games and carried that ball for 382 yards and two touchdowns.

Moss played in 13 games, including 12 starts, as a sophomore. He recorded 1,173 yards and 10 touchdowns.

In 2018, Moss was named Second-Team All-Pac-12 after rushing for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns. He missed the last five games of the regulars season, the Pac-12 Championship Game, and the Holiday Bowl after suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Sometimes you just need a Zack Moss highlight on a Monday morning.
Right @Utah_Football, @BuffaloBills? pic.twitter.com/zFARMNxJbF

— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) July 13, 2020

As a senior in 2019, Moss ran for 1,416 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led the Pac-12 in both categories. He was named an All-American and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Moss broke Utah records for most career rushing yards, touchdowns, and carries.