Malone made it difficult for receivers all weekend, having the physicality and quickness to smother their release at the line of scrimmage and the speed to run with anybody downfield. He makes it hard for receivers to find their stride due to how effectively he uses his hands when in phase with the receiver. Malone also has great hips, showing that he can flip with the receiver without losing a step.

I said it yesterday on X, but Malone is truly becoming a PRZ 7v7 legend with his play in this tournament, and several others. He is already well on the radar with FBS offers, and for good reason. He is a stout, explosive player with elite flashes of athleticism. Late in bracket play, he had the catch of the tournament, climbing the ladder and plucking the ball off a defenders head through traffic for a score. He brings energy, and usually backs it up with his play.

Malone is one of the more technically refined corners in the state and can win reps in zone or man coverage. His advanced route recognition and eye discipline, allow him to stay leveraged and in phase without panicking. Malone’s rapid change of direction and closing burst show up late in the rep—where he times his hands well at the catch point and forces tight, contested finishes or deflections. While consistently squeezing receivers toward the boundary, shrinking throwing windows and making quarterbacks be perfect Malone is someone who has to be accounted for by QBS and offensive coordinators.

Elijah Malone Elijah Malone 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB State AL had an unstoppable junior season for Gulf Shores this past fall, dominating everyone he matched up against in the 6A.

“Malone is extremely versatile and makes plays everywhere on the field- he’s dominant in coverage, excels at corner blitzes, and can even make splash plays on special teams by blocking FGs. Malone is outstanding in press man, he’s extremely physical at the LOS, doesn’t allow for WRs to win off their releases, and sticks with them the entire length of the field- making life incredibly difficult for opposing QBs.

Malone has great ball skills. If the ball is thrown his way, he’s going to get his hands on it- he’s excellent at jarring the ball free/picking off passes, consistently coming up with huge stops out in the secondary. Malone is also really reliable as a tackler; he does a great job wrapping up and doesn’t allow for any kind of yardage after initial contact is made.“

Malone did a ton for Gulf Shores’ defense this fall. He ended the season with 34 total tackles (6 for loss), one sack, 5 INTs, and 15 PBUs.

If you haven’t watched Malone before, make sure you check out some of his clips below.

Elijah Malone Elijah Malone 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB State AL is a ball hawk from Gulf Shores who’s been generating a lot of collegiate attention this season.

“Malone is extremely versatile and makes plays everywhere on the field- he’s dominant in coverage, excels at corner blitzes, and can even make splash plays on special teams by blocking FGs. Malone is outstanding in press man, he’s extremely physical at the LOS, doesn’t allow for WRs to win off their releases, and sticks with them the entire length of the field- making life incredibly difficult for opposing QBs.

Malone has great ball skills. If the ball is thrown his way, he’s going to get his hands on it- he’s excellent at jarring the ball free/picking off passes, consistently coming up with huge stops out in the secondary. Malone is also really reliable as a tackler; he does a great job wrapping up and doesn’t allow for any kind of yardage after initial contact is made.“

Yesterday, Malone announced he’d picked up another offer from Liberty!

Be sure to check out some of Malone’s tape below; he’s having a great season.

Elijah Malone Elijah Malone 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB State AL is a lockdown DB who started his junior season up with a terrific performance against Choctawatchee last week.

“Malone is extremely versatile and makes plays everywhere on the field- he’s dominant in coverage, excels at corner blitzes, and can even make splash plays on special teams by blocking FGs. Malone is outstanding in press man, he’s extremely physical at the LOS, doesn’t allow for WRs to win off their releases, and sticks with them the entire length of the field- making life incredibly difficult for opposing QBs.

Malone has great ball skills as well, if the ball is thrown his way, he’s going to get his hands on it- he’s excellent at jarring the ball free/picking off passes, consistently coming up with huge stops out in the secondary. Malone is also really reliable as a tackler, he does a great job wrapping up and doesn’t allow for any kind of yardage after initial contact is made.“

Last week, Malone racked up 3 total tackles (1 solo) and 2 INTs.

Malone and this Gulf Shores secondary have a tough task ahead of them this week. MGM has a ton of talent in their WR room, but Malone has previously competed and produced against some of the best in the state. It’ll be exciting seeing how he performs Friday night, I think he has a big week ahead.

Check out some of Malone’s tape from last week:

Malone is a quick, agile cornerback with excellent coverage skills on both sides of the field. His speed allows him to stick with receivers, and his quick change of direction makes him hard to beat on crossing routes. He shows strong awareness in zone coverage and has the ability to jump routes for interceptions. Malone’s competitive nature and knack for making plays in crucial moments make him a valuable asset to any defensive backfield.

Same guys for Malone, I will quote another eval from this top weekend. He was one of the best all-around performers regardless of team and position.

“Malone picked up an offer from UAB a month ago, but he is presumably on P4 radars and is on offer watch as he continues to perform well on the camp and tournament circuit. He projects as a DB, using his proportionately long arms to disrupt routes and make plays at the catch point. However, he caught my eye on offense, where he proved to be a blur at the top of his routes and shook off to green grass. Malone’s best ball is still ahead of him.”

Malone picked up an offer from UAB a month ago, but he is presumably on P4 radars and is on offer watch as he continues to perform well on the camp and tournament circuit. He projects as a DB, using his proportionately long arms to disrupt routes and make plays at the catch point. However, he caught my eye on offense, where he proved to be a blur at the top of his routes and shake off to green grass. Malone’s best ball is still ahead of him.

Elijah Malone was elite on both sides of the ball and made things look easy at times. He is listed at 5’10 165, but has disproportionately long arms, which will be beneficial for him at DB, where he projects to play as of today. He was arguably the most explosive player at the event. He matched footwork efficiently as a DB and was unguardable on offense. At release points, he was a blur, quickly breaking down defenders and slipping into the open field. Malone holds an offer from UAB, and it won’t be his last. I look for P4 teams to get involved in the not-too-distant future.