Malcolm Rodriguez
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Malcolm Rodriguez
| image = Malcolm Rodriguez (52480669608) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Rodriguez with the Detroit Lions in 2022
| current_team = Detroit Lions
| number = 44
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|3|29}}
| birth_place = Tahlequah, Oklahoma, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 234
| high_school = Wagoner {{avoid wrap|(Wagoner, Oklahoma)}}
| college = Oklahoma State (2017–2021)
| draftyear = 2022
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 188
| pastteams =
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2022}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2022)
- First-team All-American (2021)
- First-team All-Big 12 (2021)
- 2x Second-team All-Big 12 (2019, 2020)
| statweek = 18
| statseason = 2024
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 152
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 3.0
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 2
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 2
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 3
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 =
| pfr = RodrMa00
}}
Malcolm Luciano Rodriguez (born March 29, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Early life
Rodriguez attended Wagoner High School in Wagoner, Oklahoma. He played quarterback and defensive back in high school. During his career he had 115 touchdowns with 6,144 passing yards and 2,449 rushing yards.{{Cite web |last=Kays |first=Mike |date=May 28, 2017 |title=MALE ATHLETE OF YEAR: Wagoner's Malcolm Rodriguez was a dandy 'Dog |url=https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/sports/male-athlete-of-year-wagoners-malcolm-rodriguez-was-a-dandy-dog/article_e450a996-435e-11e7-861e-67f1f5d99d1c.html |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Muskogee Phoenix}} He was born to a Mexican father and Cherokee mother, holding a card for the Cherokee Nation.{{cite web | title=Chris Steele, Matt Araiza y los latinos que llegaron a la NFL | website=TUDN | date=May 1, 2022 | url=https://www.tudn.com/nfl-inicio/mexicoamericanos-latinos-nfl-draft-2022-chris-steele-chris-olave-matt-araiza-matt-corral | language=es | access-date=November 23, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://nativenewsonline.net/arts-entertainment/detroit-lions-rookie-malcolm-rodriguez-joins-the-community-of-indigenous-nfl-players|title=Detroit Lions Rookie Malcolm Rodriguez Joins the Community of Indigenous NFL Players|first=Ben|last=Pryor|date=September 16, 2022|website=Native News Online}}
College career
Rodriguez joined Oklahoma State in 2017 and played there until 2021.{{Cite web |last=Unruh |first=Jacob |date=January 8, 2017 |title=The Oklahoman's All-State football team: Wagoner's Malcolm Rodriguez exploded, attained goal of earning OSU scholarship |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/columns/2017/01/08/oklahomans-state-football-team-wagoners-malcolm-rodriguez-exploded-attained-goal-earning-scholarship/60626362007/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=The Oklahoman}}{{Cite magazine |last=Allen |first=Robert |date=September 16, 2020 |title=Malcolm Rodriguez Stay in Stillwater has been Rapid Especially for an Unrated Recruit |url=https://www.si.com/college/oklahomastate/football/malcolm-rodriguez-career-at-oklahoma-state-is-flying-by-rapidly |access-date=October 13, 2022 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}{{Cite web |last=Henry |first=John |date=July 15, 2021 |title=Malcolm in the middle — again: Wagoner linebacker ready for final run at OSU |url=https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/sports/malcolm-in-the-middle-again-wagoner-linebacker-ready-for-final-run-at-osu/article_ef6c8640-e5d2-11eb-b27a-9fef2351ff12.html |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Muskogee Phoenix}}{{Cite web |last=Lederman |first=Eli |date=November 27, 2021 |title='You'll love this kid': Rodriguez leads OSU to Bedlam and beyond after wrestling success at Wagoner |url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/osu/youll-love-this-kid-rodriguez-leads-osu-to-bedlam-and-beyond-after-wrestling-success-at/article_aece6370-48a0-11ec-a9d0-1f9611c76dab.html |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Tulsa World}} After starting his career as a safety he moved to linebacker in 2019.{{Cite web |last=Bonner II |first=Frank |date=September 3, 2019 |title=OSU football: Malcolm Rodriguez thrives in new linebacker position |url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/osu/osu-football-malcolm-rodriguez-thrives-in-new-linebacker-position/article_e4a887dd-d4c8-5d08-a185-d4b7fb28e92d.html |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Tulsa World}}{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Scott |date=September 5, 2019 |title=OSU football: Transition to linebacker came naturally for Malcolm Rodriguez |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/college/cowboys/2019/09/05/osu-football-transition-to-linebacker-came-naturally-for-malcolm-rodriguez/60437144007/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=The Oklahoman}} As a senior he was named a first-team All-American by ESPN.{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2021 |title=OSU's Rodriguez named to another All-America team |url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/osu/osus-rodriguez-named-to-another-all-america-team/article_834db2be-5d54-11ec-9588-37fe511c546d.html |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}} During his career, he had 408 tackles, 7.5 sacks, two interceptions, and a touchdown.{{Cite web |title=Malcolm Rodriguez College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/malcolm-rodriguez-1.html |access-date=April 7, 2023 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} In his final college game, he was named the MVP of the 2022 Fiesta Bowl.{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Scott |date=January 1, 2022 |title='Back to the basics': OSU defense rediscovers aggressive style in second-half Fiesta Bowl rally |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/college/cowboys/2022/01/02/fiesta-bowl-2022-malcolm-rodriguez-oklahoma-state-football-mike-gundy/9064754002/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=The Oklahoman}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11
| weight = 232
| dash = 4.52
| ten split = 1.54
| twenty split = 2.62
| shuttle = 4.13
| cone drill = 7.02
| vertical = 39.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 0
| bench = 36
| arm span = 30 1/8
| hand span = 9 5/8
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |title=Malcolm Rodriguez Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/malcolm-rodriguez/3200524f-4468-8025-e312-d977094cdc1f |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2022 Draft Scout Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1023124&DraftYear=2022 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=draftscout.com}}
}}
Rodriguez was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 188th pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Twentyman |first=Tim |date=April 30, 2022 |title=Lions trade down, draft LB Malcolm Rodriguez |url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-trade-down-draft-lb-malcolm-rodriguez |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=DetroitLions.com |archive-date=October 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010193415/https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-trade-down-draft-lb-malcolm-rodriguez |url-status=dead }} As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games and started 15.{{Cite web |title=Malcolm Rodriguez 2022 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodrMa00/gamelog/2022/ |access-date=April 7, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He finished with one sack, 87 total tackles, two passes defended, and one forced fumble. He was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2022.htm |access-date=April 7, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} In the 2023 season, he appeared in 17 games and started three.{{Cite web |title=Malcolm Rodriguez 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodrMa00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Rodriguez made 10 appearances (6 starts) for Detroit in 2024, recording 43 combined tackles, two sacks, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery. On November 29, 2024, it was announced that Rodriguez would miss the remainder of the season after he suffered a torn ACL in Week 13 against the Chicago Bears.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-29 |title=Sources: Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez out for season with torn ACL |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42679730/sources-lions-lb-malcolm-rodriguez-season-torn-acl |access-date=November 30, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
{{footballstats|espn=4241411|yahoo=34144|nfl=malcolm-rodriguez}}
- [https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/malcolm-rodriguez/ Detroit Lions bio]
- [https://okstate.com/sports/football/roster/malcolm-rodriguez/9654 Oklahoma State Cowboys bio]
{{Detroit Lions roster navbox}}
{{Lions2022DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Malcolm}}
Category:Sportspeople from Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Category:Players of American football from Oklahoma
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:American sportspeople of Mexican descent
Category:Cherokee Nation sportspeople
Category:Hispanic and Latino American players of American football