The wait may have been a lot longer than originally expected, but former Vanderbilt All-American cornerback D.J. Moore can take solace in the fact that his future will be covered in familiarity. The 5-foot-9, 192-pound two-time All-SEC first team performer was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Moore, who was considered as one of the better playmakers at his position heading into the draft, now joins two former Commodore teammates in offensive tackle Chris Williams and wide receiver Earl Bennett while also becoming the fifth overall Vanderbilt roster as former All-SEC linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer and recently aquired quarterback Jay Cutler also dot the roster.

"I'm happy for D.J., and I think he will become a tremendous player for the Bears," Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson said in a statement on Sunday. "D.J. is a tremendous talent that put together three fantastic years for the Commodores.

"D.J. is a special football player, a young man who possesses excellent skills. He was one of those guys that always seemed to be around the ball and make plays. He also offers a rare versatility as a football player, a guy that can do virtually anything he wants to on the field."

A three-year starter for Vanderbilt, D.J. Moore registered 178 total tackles and picked off 13 passes during his three years in the Black and Gold. The South Carolina native also broke up 19 other passes while recovering four fumbles, forcing another and registering two sacks. A versatile player, Moore played both inside and outside in the Commodore secondary, serving as the team's starter at free corner and the team's backup at nickel.

Moore also proved to be a weapon in special teams for the Commodores as he gained 1,256 yards on 55 career kick returns while also gaining 244 yards on 17 punt returns in 2008. Two of Moore's 17 punt returns went for over 65 yards including a 91-yard return against Miami of Ohio.

Moore also saw time on the Commodore offense during his sophomore and junior seasons, averaging 10.3 yards on 15 career carries and racking up 143 yards on seven career receptions. The first two catches of his college career resulted in touchdowns in Vanderbilt's win over Kentucky in 2008. Moore also picked off two passes against the Wildcats in Lexington, clinching the Commodores first season of bowl eligibility since 1982.

Once a Division 1 basketball prospect coming out of high school, Moore's athleticism and versatility helped the Commodore defense improve from one of the weaknesses of the team in 2005, to one of it's strength within two years as Vanderbilt's pass defense ranked among the Top 15 units in the nation during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Moore decided to enter the NFL Draft on December 31st, just moments after the Commodores celebrated a Music City Bowl win over 24th ranked Boston College in Nashville. It was the program's first bowl win since 1955. He was projected as a first round prospect throughout much of the draft process until posting only a high 4.5 in the NFL Combine.

Despite a subtle drop in stock, he was expected to go anywhere from the late first round to possibly the early third round. Instead, Moore dropped all the way to the 19th pick in the fourth round (119th overall). Upon his selection however, Moore was heralded by ESPN personality and draft guru, Mel Kiper as a great "value pick" and emphasizing that he was a second round talent.

His drop was also confusing considering that he was rated anywhere from the second best cornerback prospect in the draft to the sixth overall cornerback prospect by several NFL draft analysts as well as former noted high level NFL scouts such as Chris Landry. However, 17 other cornerbacks were selected ahead of Moore, including a few fellow Southeastern Conference cornerbacks that didn't display nearly the versatility or production during their college careers as the much more heralded Moore.

He becomes the first Commodore defensive back to be selected in the NFL Draft since Jimmy Williams was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in 2001. Williams is currently on the Houston Texans roster.

Several other Commodore standouts from the 2008 season, including four-year starting safety Reshard Langford, receivers George Smith and Sean Walker, placekicker Bryant Hahnfeldt and quarterback turned athlete Chris Nickson, have hopes of continuing their football careers in the NFL.