When the Jets (3-9) host the Dolphins (5-7) Sunday in the second game of their AFC East season series, rookie Malachi Moore will make his 10th professional start, his ninth consecutive start and eighth straight at safety.

"With each game, I'm gaining experience. I'm still seeing more NFL offenses, more NFL play-callers and going against veteran NFL quarterbacks," he said this week. "The more reps you get out there, the more time, the more comfortable you're going to become. So, I think the more experience and the more reps I can continue to get, the easier it will become."

Moore lined up in 99% of the defensive snaps (68 of 69) in the Jets' 27-24 victory over the Falcons last Sunday. He became just the Jets' fifth rookie safety this century to record 10-plus tackles in a game, and the first to do so since 2020.

"Malachi is a guy that can play all over the field," said DC Steve Wilks. "He can play back deep, he has range in the post, good ball skills. When he's up in the core right there, he does a good job of fitting the run."

A four-year starter at Alabama, Moore is accustomed to being thrown into the fire early. In 2020, he became the first freshman DB to start in an Alabama season opener for HC Nick Saban since Dolphins S Minka Fitzpatrick (2015). Moore played 64 games for the Crimson Tide from 2020-24, tallying 214 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 7 INT, 25 PDs, 3 FF, 2 FR and 2.5 sacks.

The Jets moved up in Round 4 of last April's NFL Draft and obtained pick No. 130 from the Eagles to select Moore. Primarily a special teams contributor for three of the Jets' first four games, Moore's first NFL start came in place of an injured Tony Adams against the Buccaneers in Week 3. Then he started at nickel in place of an injured Michael Carter II against Dallas in Week 5 before being paired up with Andre Cisco at safety for three consecutive games from Week 6-8. After Cisco went to injured reserve following the Jets' 39-38 win over the Bengals, the Jets paired Moore with Adams the past four contests.

Through 12 games, Moore has logged 606 defensive snaps (77%) and 111 special teams snaps (33%). He has played a critical role on a secondary that is also starting fellow rookie CB Azareye'h Thomas.

"It is critical for those two guys [Moore and Thomas] to get as many reps as they can, and I'm talking about true, live, game action as being young players that we drafted this past year," HC Aaron Glenn said this week. "Man, every rep they get is valuable as far as their understanding of how this league works, their understanding of how to play collective football within each other and make sure structure and all that is on a high level. They're doing a really, really good job, I will tell you that. Now, there's some things that they got to clean up. They make their rookie mistakes just like most rookies do, but they're getting a crash course of how this league is and how you have to be on top of your game every week. And, listen, the margin for error is very minimal in this league, so the more those guys continue to play the more they can continue to grow -- the better we are going to be as a team in general."

With Cisco out, Moore has been asked to take on more of a vocal role for a shuffling secondary. The Jets traded CB Sauce Gardner to the Colts on Nov. 4, and they will be without staring nickel back Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (hip) vs. the Dolphins.

"Just us staying consistent, focusing on the little details of our job, communicating, everybody being on the same page," Moore said. "If we're all wrong, we're all right. We all are playing the same call. I think the biggest thing is just getting our cleats in the dirt and allowing us to go play fast."

Moore continues to play fast as his 54 tackles are fifth-most among rookie safeties. He knows the Jets must slow down Miami RB De'Von Achane, who has had 120-plus + rush yards in three straight games, and WR Jaylen Waddle, who has averaged 72.1 receiving yards per game since Week 6.

"When it comes down to it, their playmakers are 28 [Achane] and 17 [Waddle]," Moore said. "And with Tua [Tagovailoa] always touching the ball, he always has a chance to make those plays. But it's just going to come down to really studying the game tape, knowing their route concepts and making the plays when they're there."