A hybrid defensive lineman with some special teams upside, Braylen laid a great foundation during his sophomore season. First, Braylen’s effort really shows up at the 1:12 punt coverage. He’s not lightning-quick, but still did a great job getting downfield, staying square, and not biting on the retruner’s moves. As a result, Braylen was able to eliminate the chance for a good return.

As a DT/DE, Braylen’s effort and power continue to show up. At 1:47, Braylen does a phenomenal job of turning speed to power and forcing the QB to step up and run. Then, plays like 1:53 showcase solid anchor.

Overall, I see a high-effort and powerful defensive lineman. With a bit more polish, Braylen could significantly improve his production.

5 weeks of highlights for Braylen on his Hudl, but no multi-week tape just yet.

Below is a solid run stop. Initially, Braylen attempts to crash inside, forcing the RB to bounce outside. Great IQ there, and absolutely something the Heritage staff schemed up for him.

Against Lapeer, Malone has a good pass-rush highlight and a few good hustle plays. Overall, I like where Malone is at in terms of strength and effort. I hope to see a larger sample size of varsity highlights soon.

A short impression, but a dang good one. Braylen is explosive, fast, and has a ton of potential as a high school defensive end (baked up further by his 30.5-inch vertical). In the one clip I have, Bralyen explodes off the ball, tries to dip under the edge, but ultimately loses the rep. A little more bend would have done him well.

Braylen earned his way into the best-of-the-best group as an incoming sophomore. Muscular, explosive, some great traits. If Braylen grows a few more inches, he could be a D1 prospect at DE. If he stays put, he can absolutely still be a college prospect, but could play DE, DT, or LB in college.