Indianapolis Colts select Will Mallory in 5th round of 2023 NFL Draft
The Indianapolis Colts have selected Will Mallory with the No. 162 overall pick in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Miami standout will now take his talents to the NFL and look to earn a role on offense.
Mallory finished the 2022 college season with 42 receptions for a career-high 538 yards and three touchdowns, becoming a mainstay of first-year coach Mario Cristobal’s unit. Over his college career, which included 42 games, the 6-foot-5 tight end racked up 115 catches for 1,544 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He entered the college ranks as a well-recruited player in the class of 2018 after starring at Providence (FL). Mallory ranked as a four-star recruit at No. 210 overall and No. 8 among tight ends, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Will Mallory
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down what Will Mallory can bring to the NFL in his recent scout of the tight end’s draft profile. The site ranked the Miami product among the most athletic tight ends in the class.
The NFL.com scout sees Mallory as a potential backup in the NFL, but one who could provide upside given the traits he showed off throughout his college career.
“Move tight end with good build-up speed and adequate athleticism as a route runner,” wrote Zierlein. “Mallory’s production was often set up by play-action and rub routes, but he has the potential to find catches on his own. He needs to play with better aggression and strength to not only own the catch space but handle run-blocking duties when called upon. Mallory has an opportunity to fight for a TE3 roster spot but competition could be tight.”
Zierlein also broke down what Mallory’s greatest strengths and weaknesses are at this point.
Mallory’s strengths include: “Disguises route breaks and snaps them off sharply, long strides sneak up on defenders as a seam runner, good build-up speed to separate on crossing routes, makes athletic adjustments for throws on his back hip, above average run-after-catch when he gets legs rolling, slides feet through move-block engagement.”
Mallory’s weaknesses include: “Lacks spatial awareness sinking into zone, knocked off his base by route redirection, allows coverage to crowd through catch space, inconsistent pulling in throws too far out in front of him, not physical enough to block an NFL edge defender, has trouble getting into contact with proper footwork.”