Marquez Valdes-Scantling Works Out With Randy Moss
Preparing for his first NFL training camp, the fifth-round pick enlisted the help of a legendary Packer nemesis.
By mkelley
Packer rookie wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling attracted some attention on various social media platforms Thursday night by posting a video of himself working out with Randy Moss.
One of Green Bay’s three fifth-round selections, Valdes-Scantling is shown in the Instagram video working on quickness and agility with Moss, bursting off the line and making several quick cuts around cones in a short distance.
While Valdes-Scantling displays some smooth footwork in the 10-second video, Moss probably wishes another repetition could have made it online instead, as this one shows him stumbling twice. The 23-year-old South Florida product, however, kept a light-hearted and grateful tone with his caption, “appreciate the coaching OG. Main man tried to come out of retirement today.”
Valdes-Scantling, found on Instagram @mvs_11, was regarded by draft experts as an unpolished prospect with tremendous size, speed and physical gifts. And while any comparisons to Moss himself would be laughable at this point, MVS has a play style not totally unlike that of Moss when he entered the league.
Valdes-Scantling excelled in his 25 games at USF as a big-play threat, averaging 40.5 yards per scoring play on his 12 touchdowns there and setting a school record of 17.3 yards per catch.
At 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds, MVS’s scouting combine numbers backed up his big-play college production. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and was able to broad jump 124 inches, both besting Moss’ numbers from the 1998 scouting combine (4.38 seconds and 117 inches).
MVS is just one new face in a receiver group that saw a lot of turnover this offseason and may be reliant on at least one young, unproven player to be a pleasant surprise. With familiar faces Jordy Nelson and Jeff Janis now gone, six of the 10 wide receivers on the Packers’ official roster are either rookies or second-year players. Randall Cobb and Davante Adams are the only proven veterans of the group, and Cobb has already garnered headlines for being banged up before training camp starts.
Moss, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month, has also worked this offseason with Bengals’ seventh-round pick Auden Tate.
__________________________
Matt Kelley is a staff writer for Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter via @hustleandheart1.
Comments (30)
Rak43
July 13, 2018 at 05:22 pm
He has the athletic ability that is off the charts when you're posting better numbers than Randy Moss on the track. If he can be half as good as Moss the Packers will have found a steal in the 5th round.
Bearmeat
July 15, 2018 at 01:23 pm
double post. Sorry.
jeremyjjbrown
July 13, 2018 at 06:11 pm
Did Moss teach him the Fake Moon move? He'll need that for US Bank Stadium.
Bearmeat
July 15, 2018 at 01:23 pm
YEAH!!!!
If any Packer player ever did that to the Barneys crowd, I would buy that player's jersey in under 5 minutes!!!
Lare
July 13, 2018 at 06:13 pm
There are hundreds of young players that have the size and physical abilities of Valdes-Scantling, it all comes down to dedication and work ethic.
Hopefully MVS applies himself to his craft more than Moss did.
mkelley
July 13, 2018 at 06:39 pm
I think Moss had a lot more nuance and skill to his game than a lot of people like to give him credit for. It's easy to think of him as a goof, but, like you said, there are lots of tall and fast guys. Yet there's no one like him in NFL history.
Bearmeat
July 13, 2018 at 08:16 pm
Moss was the single most physically gifted WR to ever play the game. I have no love lost for the man's choices at times myself, but he was amazing.
EdsLaces
July 13, 2018 at 09:07 pm
Most physically gifted ? Cmonnn nowwww.
Demon
July 14, 2018 at 03:26 pm
I dont know whom you could name who was more physically gifted than Moss. I hated his attitude and the fact me played for the Vikes, but ive never seen one better. His rookie year 69 catches 1300 yards and 17 touchdowns. Kinda throws out the addage that rookie receivers need time to develop.
Andrew Lloyd Peth
July 14, 2018 at 11:14 am
Oh, outside of Megatron, I think there's little debate Moss was the most gifted ever. BP's point is well taken.
Bearmeat
July 14, 2018 at 05:50 pm
Megatron would be the one exception I can think of.
croatpackfan
July 15, 2018 at 06:05 am
Fitzgerald?
Bearmeat
July 15, 2018 at 07:25 am
Nope. Fitz was an all time great, but he didn't have the reach that Moss did, nor the top end speed (if I remember). I think Moss was taller too...
GBwastedthe12thoverallpick
July 16, 2018 at 01:55 pm
Julio
Andrew Lloyd Peth
July 14, 2018 at 11:15 am
Actually, Lare, there really aren't hundreds. There probably aren't 10 in the league.
But your point is spot on. Hopefully, MVS will learn from Moss how to DOMINATE with athleticism, rather than just make occasional splash plays.
Aaron needs dominating physical presences for targets, not just technicians and longtime buddies. It's good to see a GM understand that, and it's good to see MVS seeking out the right advice.
Handsback
July 13, 2018 at 09:19 pm
Moss has very long arms and hands that could swallow a rugby ball. Also will mention he almost never dropped a pass.
That's the difference between the two.
Tundraboy
July 13, 2018 at 10:45 pm
Sounds like Lofton.
Handsback
July 13, 2018 at 09:19 pm
Moss has very long arms and hands that could swallow a rugby ball. Also will mention he almost never dropped a pass.
That's the difference between the two.
TKWorldWide
July 14, 2018 at 11:40 am
Still sounds like Lofton.
Andrew Lloyd Peth
July 15, 2018 at 05:40 am
Lofton was a great athlete, but not the freak Moss was. Moss was just terrifying--it almost didn't matter if we double-teamed him.
Bearmeat
July 15, 2018 at 07:27 am
The crazy thing is that if he had actually tried for his whole career, instead of having poop in the pants for 3/5 of it, he would have destroyed every single WR record in the books. And the Vikings probably would have won a super bowl in 2004 and 2009 too. Wait, nevermind, I'm glad he was a headcase. ;)
PatrickGB
July 14, 2018 at 09:42 am
It’s the dead time before TC and hope springs eternal. Many had high hopes for Janis too. Special Teams and PS are his best hope. Still, I like the potential and wish him the best.
Andrew Lloyd Peth
July 14, 2018 at 11:18 am
I think Janis was a big success, being a late-rounder who flourished on special teams.
But MVS is totally different. Not nearly as brutish physically, but far quicker and more agile.
Pack88
July 14, 2018 at 12:03 pm
Agree Moss was a freak w/ more than just speed- but don't sell Lofton short- he was so smooth and like Don Bebee he had the even I'm leaving gear where he just blew by guys. I know JL wishes he played in todays NFL he would have to hire people to count the people that count his money!!
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
July 14, 2018 at 04:39 pm
Lofton had that amazing long gaited stride. There have been a lot of different types of WRs over the years but no one that I recall with such a long stride. If he hadn't stepped on his own body parts off the field screwing up several non-performance seasons before being displaced to Buffalo I believe he would have had a significantly better statistic career.
Andrew Lloyd Peth
July 14, 2018 at 05:19 pm
Willie Gault.
Oppy
July 14, 2018 at 08:20 pm
Randy moss was always known as one of the most talented WRs in the game.. and his work ethic was equally known for being questionable.
So we’ve got a rookie WR who’s scouting report says his coaches had to prod and harass him to keep up with his training.... training with a guy known for not training (or playing) hard unless he really, really had to.
Not impressed. Show me in training camp.
4thand1
July 14, 2018 at 11:06 pm
Hmmmm, working with Moss? I wonder if MVS will walk into Gutes office and demand more money?
CJBauckham
July 14, 2018 at 11:11 pm
Straight Cash, homie
Cartwright
July 15, 2018 at 01:47 pm
Randy Moss, wasn't that the guy who mooned the Green Bay fans on Monday Night Football after a touchdown and this dude's hanging out with him? He must have been told of this incident and went anyway, it didn't matter. From a fans point of view, based on that alone, wouldn't mind if he got cut.