Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Indianapolis Colts Select Miami Tight End Will Mallory
Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft saw the Indianapolis Colts select Miami Hurricanes tight end Will Mallory with the 162nd overall pick in the fifth round.
What will the Colts be getting? Here are a few thoughts about what Mallory did as a Hurricane, as well as what he can do at the NFL level.
Based on Mallory’s Draft profile and college statistics for Miami, watching him go to work in the passing game would be a primary reason he was drafted, so let’s start there.
Best Attribute
Being clutch in the passing game. During the 6-4.5 and 239-pound tight end’s final season in Coral Gables, Mallory was clutch on third downs. For instance, third down and medium situations, i.e. four to six yards to gain a first down, Mallory caught 7 passes for 106 yards, a 15.1 average, and 2 touchdowns.
Further, each of those third down receptions went for first downs, with two of them going for over 25 yards.
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He also showcased his talents during third down and 10 or more situations. Mallory caught 3 passes for 55 yards, an 18.3 average, and two first downs. Those numbers might be the most impressive as he was a primary target that defenses zeroed in on during obvious passing situations.
What Mallory Does to Excel
There could be many points to utilize here, but let’s stick with Mallory in the passing game. His speed has been undervalued and was finally credited via the NFL Combine where Mallory ran a 4.54 forty.
Now, some players do not utilize their physical gifts, like speed, any place close to how they should because of a lack of technique and/or football IQ. That’s not a concern with Mallory.
He uses different maneuvers to release from the line of scrimmage – or out wide when he’s playing flex tight end – to disengage from a defender. Once he has a defensive back or linebacker on his hip, that’s where speed has allowed him to get into an open area for a catch.
Most notably, Mallory has shown the ability to run away from a defender whenever he breaks off from his original upfield burst and then cuts left or right.
During those routes, he showed the ability to be able to consistently break down, and then use quick and precise steps to maximize the ability to make sharp cuts.
How Mallory Can Make An Early Impact
Three-by-one formations will allow Mallory to operate more like a big wide receiver if he’s placed to a side of the field by himself, or he can be a part of the three-players assigned in a bunch formation to release without a jam and be a threat to catch passes from a variety of route concepts. This leads to a finer point that most NFL teams have utilized.
Bunch formations inside the red zone have become common in the NFL. They help prevent teams from jamming at the line, especially when there’s limited space because of the back of the end zone being so close.
Once off the line, the same qualities noted above will be hard to stop with Mallory. One more valuable trait needed to be mentioned for the red zone, however.
Mallory’s hands have been good in tight coverage, and that’s extremely important within the ultra-competitive NFL where one catch can decide the final outcome of a game.
Area for Improvement
Sheer power in the run game, as well as even better technique will be needed long-term. That’s the area that Mallory probably needs to improve the most.
In short, he needs to be able to move more big bodies against their will and open up more and bigger running lanes. This traditional part of being a tight end has not been a strength, and it’s something Mallory will need to increase his output for him to break into the two-deep rotation for the Colts.
Overall, Mallory’s NFL career will most likely begin with him being primarily a receiving threat. In time, if he develops into a more consistent dual-role tight end with the ability to block like he runs routes and catches the football, Mallory could be a big-time pro tight end.
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