On Tuesday night, Alabama football received official good news. Malachi Moore, a defensive back, will spend a sixth season in Tuscaloosa. The social media choice was made public by the Trussville native with a promotional video that ended with the words “I’m back.”
Along with Caleb Downs, his return provides UA another component in the secondary as the other three players head to the NFL Draft. ESPN announced both Moore’s, Kool-Aid McKinstry’s, and Terrion Arnold’s decisions.
Moore had 52 tackles, which placed him eighth on the team. In addition, he recorded one interception, four pass breakups, and five tackles for loss. Moore ranks fourth in tackles among the returning UA defenders. Standing at 6 feet and 198 pounds, he achieved career highs in playing time before retiring in 2023. He alternated between nickel cornerback, or STAR, and safety.
That seems like the greatest accolade you could possibly get here, in my opinion. It’s really an honor to be chosen as captain by your teammates, Moore said in December. “It’s just being looked at by your teammates and your brothers as a person who leads by example and somebody they can look up to who does the right thing,” Moore added.
The physical ability of the former Hewitt-Trussville standout to move across the secondary and keep UA’s defensive backs in sync has been praised. Moore played in Alabama’s 27-20 overtime loss against Michigan in the Rose Bowl, logging three tackles. Moore has made 87 career tackles in 52 games.
Three defensive backs, Kristian Story, Earl Little Jr., and Jake Pope, have chosen to use the transfer portal since the end of UA’s season, making Moore’s return even more significant. Next autumn, head coach Nick Saban will have to start Jaylen Key, Arnold, and McKinstry in their place.
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