NAPA – Raiders rookie wide receiver Denarius Moore had barely been in training camp a week when he found himself surrounded by veterans in a raucous touchdown celebration.

Moore had made yet another acrobatic catch, this one in the back of the end zone during a team drill, and when he turned back toward the field, he saw his offensive teammates racing toward him.

"It was overwhelming for a rookie to make a play like that and then get supported by the whole team," Moore said.

It took exactly one practice for Moore to catch the eye of coach Hue Jackson, and by the end of the first week he had grabbed the attention of the entire team. If the Raiders gave out training camp awards, he'd be the MVP and BCS – Biggest Camp Surprise.

"Denarius Moore is like another Jacoby (Ford)," Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell said. "He's like one of those guys that you pick up late in the draft and you wonder, 'How did this guy fall?' He's so talented; he's so athletic.

"When you see Jacoby, it's kind of like you have to do a double-glimpse, make sure it's him or (Moore). The guy's playing hard. He has that factor, some things you just can't coach, he has about him. He's a guy that can add a lot to our offense this year and what we do."

The Raiders drafted Ford in the fourth round out of Clemson last year, and he had a stellar rookie season as a kick returner and wide receiver. They landed Moore one round later this year out of Tennessee.

"I'm just glad he was there when we picked," Jackson said. "I can't tell you why he lasted. I'm glad he's ours.

"The young man can make some plays, can't he? Oh my gosh, is he something? He's fun to watch. Every day there's something. A ball goes up, he comes down with it and makes a play. He's a tremendous talent. The game is not too big for him. There's no fear in the young man."

Moore wasn't exactly a secret weapon coming out of Tennessee. He was the only major college player in the nation with two 200-yard receiving games last season. He averaged 20.9 yards per catch, second in the nation. For his career, Moore caught 112 passes for 2,004 yards and 18 touchdowns and appeared in 52 games, tying the school record and proving his durability.

Falling to the fifth round only added fuel to his motivational fire.

"I came in with a chip on my shoulder," Moore said. "There was nothing I could do about it. Just come in, work as hard as I can to prove to everybody that I'm capable of doing it."

Moore has proven that he's more than just a practice field all-star. In the Raiders' preseason opener against Arizona, he led the team with three catches for 37 yards. He also had a 57-yard punt return that was nullified by a penalty. Then against the 49ers, Moore made his first NFL start and had two catches for 28 yards and returned a kickoff 48 yards.

"What you see in practices is what he does all the time in games, too," Jackson said. "The games are not too big for him. He loves the game, he loves the spotlight, and I'm looking forward to watching him grow through the season."

Jackson knows how fortunate he is to have Moore, considering the injuries that have struck his receiving corps. Louis Murphy (hamstring/groin) is expected to miss the season opener against Denver. Chaz Schilens is still recovering from a knee injury.

Ford practiced Monday for the first time since breaking his left hand in late July.

At 6 feet and 195 pounds, Moore isn't big by NFL standards, but, like all Raiders receivers, he's exceptionally fast. He also said that if a pass comes his way, he treats it as private property.

"Yeah, that's how I feel," he said. "If the ball's thrown my way, if it's around my area, it should be mine."

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