Tywone Malone, Highly-Touted DT, Names Ole Miss in Top 6
The top target for Ole Miss football along the defensive line in the 2021 recruiting class is still hanging strong with the Rebels.
Tywone Malone, an SI All-American at defensive tackle, named Ole Miss in his top six schools on Monday night. The Rebels join Southern California, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Florida State, and Rutgers as the top contenders for the big boy's talents.
At 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, Malone is one of the top rated defensive lineman in the 2021 class. He also held offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Georgia and others.
(More recruiting: September Recruiting Wrap-up: Where Does Ole Miss Stand With the Class of 2021?)
As a junior in 2019, he recorded 16 tackles for loss and 7 sacks for Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, playing both the end and tackle positions on the defensive line.
Below reads the full SI All-American scouting report on Malone, along with his junior year highlights.
Tywone Malone Scouting Report:
Projected Position: Defensive Tackle with positional versatility to 2-gap as a 30-front end depending upon scheme.
Frame: Thickly built with big torso, big shoulders and defined arms. Large midsection, along with big thighs and hips.
Athleticism: Has a baseball background as a right-handed hitting first baseman and also played some tight end on offense. Good quickness at the snap to engage. Strong at the point of attack with fair power and anchor ability. Can 2-gap versus the run and has good quickness to close and finish on the ball. Flashes the athletic ability to bend, flip hips and step through when flattening in short-space pursuit. Good vision and ball-location skills, as well as range.
Instincts: Relies on sheer strength to shed and escape versus the run. Uses an arm-over/swim move either as initial plan or counter as an interior pass-rusher, as well as a bull-rush. Flashes a stutter-and-go when rushing on stunts and twists. Has the size, bulk and strength to take on double teams, and also does a good job of taking advantage of soft inside shoulders versus guards.
Polish: Lines up as a 2-technique and 3-technique in the interior defensive front. Strength, mass and athleticism make up for inconsistent pad level at the point of attack. Also needs to improve initial hand quickness, as he can be late with his initial punch to engage. Should develop into a starting-caliber swing defensive tackle in a few seasons.
Bottom Line: Malone is a big and athletic defensive lineman with positional versatility. He has the size, bulk and strength to 2-gap for a defensive front, yet he also possesses the athleticism and range to factor as a gap-penetrator. He plays with a high-hat and must improve his leverage consistency, but offers many interesting traits to work with and develop to reach his high ceiling. Malone can fit as a 5-technique or 4I in a 30-front or 3-technique in a 40-front, while also potentially rushing as a nose tackle in sub-packages as he adds to his toolbox.
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