Will Mallory: Indianapolis Colts Rookie Files

Coming from a family with deep ties to the Hoosier State, Will Mallory hopes to leave his mark in Indiana with the Indianapolis Colts.

Growing up in a football family can be both a blessing and a curse.

On one hand, you get to experience the game unlike most. It affords you opportunities to further your career in the game that you normally would not have access to.

On the other hand, there is usually immense pressure to succeed. You do not want to be the one person in the family that does not grow up to have a career in football.

Now imagine trying to make it in the NFL in the state your family already has so much history. Talk about pressure.

This is "Rookie Files," a series on Horseshoe Huddle that gives you the backstory of every rookie for the Indianapolis Colts. Going player by player, we look at their journeys to the NFL and what makes each unique while also detailing how they help the Colts. Next up, Will Mallory, who hopes to continue building on the Mallory legacy in the Hoosier State.

Family Ties

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Mallory was born on June 22, 1999, in Jacksonville, Fla., to Mike and Kim Mallory. While Mike has a connection to the game as well, the Mallory family football legacy goes back to Will's grandfather, Bill.

Bill Mallory was the head coach for a college football program for 27 years. He began his head coaching career in 1969 at Miami (OH) before moving on to stops at Colorado and Northern Illinois. But Bill had his longest tenure right here in Indiana with the Hoosiers.

Bill coached the Hoosiers from 1984-1996, when he decided to hang up his whistle. He remains the winningest coach in program history with 69 wins and is responsible for two of the three bowl wins in school history.

With Bill's long history in football, his sons became heavily involved with the game. All three of his sons went on to play for the Michigan Wolverines and are now in the coaching ranks, just like Bill.

Will's father, Mike, played linebacker at Michigan before joining Bill's staff as an assistant at Indiana. Mike was an assistant at eight other colleges before jumping to the NFL in 2008 as an assistant for the New Orleans Saints. Mike was with the team when they won Super Bowl XLIV over the Colts and is now the assistant special teams coordinator for the Denver Broncos.

Mike allowed Will to sit in on a few position meetings where he formed bonds with tight ends Jeremy Shockey and Jimmy Graham. Will spoke about that experience with The Athletic in 2019.

“I remember one time being in the tight ends meeting and all of them were sneaking me snacks under the table while they were going over stuff,” Mallory remembered.

With football being the way of life in the Mallory family, Will was destined for a career in the game. The family moved to Florida in 2013 when Mike joined the Jacksonville Jaguars. Will was enrolled at Providence School and began receiving snaps on varsity as a freshman.

Mallory's breakout campaign came during his junior season. As a wide receiver, Mallory hauled in 46 catches for 900 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning First-Team All-Conference honors. His senior year saw a drop in production due to injuries, but Mallory continued to dominate when available, with 21 catches for 364 yards and three touchdowns.

While Mallory lettered in basketball and track, football was his first love. He was a four-star recruit and the No.8 ranked tight end in his recruiting class. Big-name schools such as Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, and Notre Dame came calling.

But in the end, Mallory chose to stay close to family and committed to the University of Miami (FL) and head coach Mark Richt. While many assumed Mallory would play at Michigan like his father, he was ready to forge his own path in football.

Continued Improvement

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While Mallory was a highly-ranked tight end recruit, he was not the highest-ranked tight end joining the Hurricanes in 2018. Brevin Jordan, now with the Houston Texans, was the No.1 tight end prospect in the recruiting class and on his way to Miami. Mallory would have some stiff competition to carve out a role.

While Jordan took over the starting role as a freshman, Mallory still saw action in ten games, including one start. He tallied five catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown catch was the very first reception of his career at Miami. 

While he did not receive much playing time as a freshman, Mallory impressed coaches with his team-first approach and dedication to his craft. Mallory was ready for a more impactful role with the team.

Mallory became a co-starter with Jordan during his sophomore campaign. Starting eight of 13 games, Mallory finished with 16 catches for 293 yards and two touchdowns. His junior year saw more of the same, with seven starts in 11 games, racking up 22 catches for 329 yards and four touchdowns.

As Mallory entered his senior season, he encountered his best opportunity. Jordan was heading for the NFL draft, leaving Mallory as the top tight end. He could finally unleash his full arsenal of skills to test defenses.

"If you have an athletic tight end that can be a deep threat and be a mismatch on linebackers and safeties, and then be big enough to be a mismatch on a corner, I think that’s a scary thing for defenses," Mallory said.

Mallory continued to improve as a tight end and put up better numbers each season. Starting all 12 games, Mallory hauled in 30 catches for 347 yards and four touchdowns. 

Mallory also used his extra year of eligibility from the pandemic to return for a fifth season with the Hurricanes. As a team captain, his fifth season was his best, with 12 starts, 43 catches, 538 yards, and three touchdowns. Mallory earned Second-Team All-ACC honors and finished his career second in receiving among tight ends in school history. 

Little did Mallory know that when he was in the room with Shockey and Graham, he would join their ranks at the same position and university they attended.

Mallory racked up 115 catches for 1,544 yards and 14 touchdowns in five seasons with the Hurricanes. He had made plenty of noise in the ACC, and it was time for a new test. Mallory entered the NFL draft ready to prove he belonged at the next level.

Elite Athleticism

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Mallory began his pre-draft journey at the Reese's Senior Bowl. He impressed teams with his maturity and showed he could be a mismatch in the slot. Mallory caught five passes for 46 yards and was the sixth-best performer in the game according to Pro Football Focus.

Riding the momentum from his Senior Bowl performance, Mallory headed into the NFL Scouting Combine, ready to show off his athleticism. Many scouts believed the 2023 tight end class was one of the best in years. Mallory would have to put up big numbers to stand out.

And stand out, he did. Mallory ran a blistering 4.54 40-yard dash, the fastest of any tight end at the Combine. Mallory added to that feat with a 36.5-inch vertical and 10'1" broad jump, proving he had speed and explosiveness.

Mallory did what he needed to do at the Combine by showing he was one of the most athletic tight ends in a very talented class. Meeting with teams ahead of the NFL draft, Mallory had a good feeling about his meeting with Colts' tight ends coach Tom Manning. Manning, who was the tight ends coach for Indy in 2018, returns to the Colts this season after spending time in the college ranks.

The meeting went well for Manning as well, who reported back to general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen that Mallory was one of his favorite tight ends in the class. If the board fell correctly, Mallory would be hard to pass up.

When draft day came, the Colts had their chance and took it. With the No.162 pick, the Colts selected Mallory in the fifth round, bringing him back to the Hoosier State where his late grandfather had so much success.

"It’s a great, great honor to be coming back (to Indiana)," Mallory said after he was drafted. "To where it was home to my family, so really excited to just get there and get to work.”

How Mallory Helps the Colts

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Mallory joins an already crowded tight end room for the Colts. However, that does not mean he will not be able to have an impact right away.

Mallory will likely be an "F" tight end in Steichen's offense. The "F" tight end is usually deployed in the slot and as a receiving threat down the field. Kylen Granson is the current "F" tight end for the Colts.

At 6'4" and 239 pounds, Mallory is built like a big wide receiver. The tight end uses his speed and acceleration to make things tough on defenders in the slot. Mallory can be a vertical threat while also showing the ability to run away from defenders on crossing routes. He also has a big catch radius with a 78-inch wingspan.

Where Mallory struggles is his physicality and blocking. He will need to work on his play strength, which should improve in an NFL training program. Mallory will likely take most of his snaps in the slot rather than as an inline tight end.

But Mallory could see a sizable role with the Colts. Steichen loves his speed and threat to be a mismatch on the field. If Granson begins to struggle, Mallory could provide a boost to the "F" tight end role.

Mallory's journey in the NFL will be fun to watch. While his family may have a legacy already in Indiana, Mallory hopes to build on that legacy and leave his mark.

With enough success, Will may become bigger than Bill in the Hoosier State.

More Rookie Files

• QB Anthony Richardson
• CB JuJu Brents
• WR Josh Downs
• OT Blake Freeland
• DE Adetomiwa Adebawore
• CB Darius Rush
• S Daniel Scott
• RB Evan Hull
• DE Titus Leo
• CB Jaylon Jones
• OT Jake Witt

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

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