Chicago Bears: Top prospects to watch in Christmas weekend Bowl games
By Ryan Heckman
4. EDGE Deangelo Malone, Western Kentucky
Another guy at the edge rusher position playing this weekend is Western Kentucky’s Deangelo Malone. You’ll be able to see him suit up as they take on Georgia State in the Lending Tree Bowl on Saturday (3:30PM ET on ESPN).
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Malone is a prospect who will need not only a strong showing in his bowl appearance, but a great pre-draft process. At 6-foot-4 and weighing only about 230 pounds, one could assume he’s a one-trick pony without even flipping on the film.
That one trick, though, is a pretty great one. Malone has racked up 31.0 tackles for loss over his last two seasons, including 17.0 sacks, in 23 games. He’s definitely more of an athletic type, relying on his quickness to get to the back field in a hurry.
When he’s challenged physically, it’s easy to see he has a hard time hanging. Malone’s top priority until draft weekend should be putting on healthy weight. If he can get himself up to 240-250 pounds, he’ll be better suited to play the edge rusher position at his height.
Still, at his current size, his burst is fantastic and the effort is there. The potential to be a serviceable pass rusher as a pro is certainly apparent.