Look: Bartlett (Tennessee) receiver Malachi Butler drags defender 25 yards into end zone

Junior makes a fingertip catch and then refuses to go down on 72-yard touchdown

The catch was one thing, but what Bartlett (Tennessee) receiver Malachi Butler did next was next-level.

After making a fingertip grab down the sideline, Butler got wrapped up by a Germantown defender for what looked like a nice gain, but certainly not a touchdown.

Butler had other ideas.

The 6-foot-4 junior carried the defender about 15 yards before stopping at the 10 to take a little breather with the DB still draped all over him. 

Butler then dragged him the rest of the way into the end zone, getting a slight assist from a teammate in preventing another Germantown defender from joining in.

Check out the 22-second high school football highlight that looked like it'd be over in seven:

Bartlett's Malachi Butler, WOW! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/xDrRQHn1DS

— The Zone (@sportszonetv1) October 7, 2023

The catch-and-run went into the box score as a 72-yard touchdown reception for Butler to bring Bartlett within four points of Germantown in the third quarter.

Germantown (8-0) went on to win 44-20 over Bartlett (5-3), but the play of the game and national play of the week candidate in high school football belonged to Butler.

Earlier this season he made a game-saving play on the other side of the ball, knocking away a pass in the final seconds to preserve a 38-35 win over Collierville:

@mali_butler14 went in there and did his job 🤝🏾 https://t.co/N0PdWWmF6B

— Snap Reed (@SnapReed2024) September 2, 2023

(Bartlett file photo by Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports