Malachi Wideman, a wide receiver from Jackson State and the Tennessee Volunteers, has declared for the NFL Supplemental draft as per Aaron Wilson. The Supplemental Draft will be held on July 11. The 6-foot-5 and 200-pound wide receiver started his college career at Tennessee in 2020 before transferring to Deion Sanders’ Jackson State. Could the Cleveland Browns find interest?
In his first season with the Tigers, Malachi recorded 540 yards on 34 catches and 12 touchdowns. His 12 touchdowns would lead the SWAC in 2021. Unfortunately, Malachi failed to improve on his 2021 season, recording just three catches and a touchdown in 2022. Malachi was purportedly in Deion Sanders’ dog house for most of the season for unknown reasons.
Before Malachi was at Jackson State, he was a freshman at Tennessee during the shortened 2020 season. Malachi was the Volunteers’ class of 2020 highest-ranked wide receiver recruit, over future Biletnikoff winner Jalin Hyatt. Malachi was not just a four-star football recruit, he was also a four-star basketball recruit. As a freshman, Wideman had one catch for 24 yards against Kentucky. Malachi decided to transfer after Tennessee fired their coaching staff in 2020.
Wideman has been training at former NFL star Brandon Marshall’s training facility, House of Athletes, this offseason in preparation for the NFL. The former two-sport star will be anxious to hear his name called in the Supplemental Draft on July 11.
The Supplemental draft is an auction, where teams bid next year’s draft picks on prospects for this season. If a prospect isn’t selected in the Supplemental draft they are eligible to sign with any NFL team as a free agent. So far only Malachi Wideman and former Purdue Boilermaker Milton Wright have declared for the Supplemental draft.
Could the Browns look to pair David Bell or Cedric Tillman with their former college teammate? It is possible. The Browns have relied on the Supplemental Draft before. In 2012 the Browns selected Josh Gordon as a second-round pick. The Browns will leave no stone unturned to find talent.
