Courtesy of WKU Athletics
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Football senior defensive end DeAngelo Malone heard his name called by his hometown team Friday in the 2022 NFL Draft when he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round with the 82nd overall pick.
Malone is WKU’s first NFL Draft pick since 2018, but the 36th overall in the program and the eighth for the Hilltoppers since 2016.
The Atlanta native is the fourth-highest draft pick in program history behind Forrest Lamp (38th overall, 2017), Taywan Taylor (72nd overall, 2017) and Joseph Jefferson (74th, 2002). He’s the first Hilltopper to ever be drafted by the Falcons.
Malone is the third WKU defensive end to be drafted all-time, joining Quanterus Smith in 2013 and John Bushong in 1975.
As just the fourth player in Conference USA history to be named Defensive Player of the Year twice, Malone wreaked havoc on opposing offenses for five seasons in the Red and White and joined the first class of Hilltoppers to ever earn five letters due to an extra year of COVID-19 eligibility.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end started all 14 games in his final season in 2021 and racked up 94 total tackles, including 17.5 for loss, with nine sacks, four forced fumbles and four pass breakups. He led C-USA in both tackles for loss and forced fumbles.
The 94 total tackles led all FBS defensive linemen, marking the second time in the past three seasons (99 total tackles in 2019) that he accomplished that feat.
Malone set a new WKU record with 34 career sacks while finishing second with both 60 career tackles for loss and 349 career total tackles (in FBS era). His 53 career starts are second in WKU history among non-specialists, trailing only offensive lineman Brandon Ray’s 54 from 2014-17.
In addition to be named to the All-Conference USA First Team, Malone competed in the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Rotary Lombardi awards.
The NFL Draft concludes Saturday with Rounds 4-7.
