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2017 NFL Draft: Tennessee Josh Malone Scouting Report

By Jon Dove

Nov 5, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Josh Malone (3) catches a pass against Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles cornerback Eriq Fadahunsi (31) during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Josh Malone (3) catches a pass against Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles cornerback Eriq Fadahunsi (31) during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee’s Josh Malone is one of the more underrated wide receiver prospects available in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Josh Malone features a nice blend of size, speed and leaping ability. He’s someone who can create down field and win in contested situations. Malone has some of the best hands in this entire draft class possesses the ability to constantly pluck the ball away from this frame.

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He uses his strong hands to help him out battle the defensive back and make some acrobatic catches on poorly thrown balls. His concentration is another trait that makes him a reliable pass catcher.

Malone flashes the speed needed to stretch the field and outpace defensive backs. However, he is a bit of a long strider and takes some time to get to full speed. It will be interesting to see his 10-yard split at the combine.

This isn’t just a deep threat as Malone also runs clean routes. He does a good job cleanly breaking off his routes and working back to the quarterback. Tennessee also asked him to work across the middle with crossing routes, digs and posts.

Malone features some versatility having working on the outside and in the slot at Tennessee. However, he looks like someone who’ll spend most of his time on the outside in the NFL.

His production and overall numbers took a bit of a hit due to the inconsistent quarterback play at Tennessee. He dealt with plenty of miss placed throws, under thrown balls and missed opportunities. Malone is one of those prospects who has a chance to be a much better pro than a college player.

Current Draft Range: Early 3rd Round

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