VU's Moore says he's headed to the NFL

D.J. Moore said he knew months ago. In recent weeks he told select family members and coach Bobby Johnson.

Wednesday, following Vanderbilt’s 16-14 victory over Boston College in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, the Commodores’ All-American defensive back made it known to the rest of the world that he will forgo his final season of eligibility and make himself available for the NFL Draft in April.

Moore revealed his decision during a post-game interview with ESPN and reaffirmed a short time later after he showered and dressed.

“About the middle of the season I decided I was good enough to leave,” he said. “I had done well. ... I wanted to be All-American, so once I was (second-team) All-American there was pretty much nothing left to do.”

His farewell performance included four tackles and one pass broken up on defense and one rushing attempt for three yards in a performance shortened by injury.

Moore sustained a sprained left ankle five minutes into the second quarter when he deflected a pass that was intercepted by safety Ryan Hamilton (the first of three Commodores’ takeaways). He returned to action intermittently before coaches pulled him for good during the third quarter.

“It was hard to run on,” Moore said. “Obviously you don't want to get hurt and not play that much, but a win is a win.”

Moore, who said he will not go to school during the coming semester, will become the third Commodores’ player in recent years to leave school early for the NFL. Defensive end Jovan Haye went in the sixth round to Carolina in 2005, and Chicago selected wide receiver Earl Bennett in the third round of the 2007 draft.

“I’m for D.J., and I want what’s best for him, and I think everybody in our program is for D.J.,” Johnson said. “I really hope it works out for him. I think he’s a fantastic football player.”

Moore was named second-team All-America by the Associated Press after he had a team-high six interceptions (second in the SEC), caught seven passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, rushed eight times for 73 yards and was the team’s leader in kickoff and punt returns.

In so doing, he became the school’s first AP All-American in 11 years. He also was a first-team choice by several other outlets.

He petitioned the NFL’s Draft Advisory Board for input on his draft prospects but said he has not yet received that report. Nor was he particularly interested in what it had to say.

“I wanted to make my decision because it was just something personal I had to do,” Moore said. “I just wanted to wait for the end of the season because if I would have, I would have gotten questions about it, and that would have been a distraction.”