SI All-American Candidate Malik Curtis Highlights and Evaluation

Malik Curtis is a wide receiver prospect from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, Fla. Curtis is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: ATH Malik Curtis
Projected Position: Wide Receiver
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 5-foot-11, 160 pounds
School: Fort Myers (Fla.) Bishop Verot
Committed to: Miami

Frame: Lean. Adequate width across shoulders, chest. Long, sinewy arms. Slender, tightly-wound lower body. Limited overall size potential, but ample room for more weight. 

Athleticism: Wiggle pops off the tape. Quick, light feet, with flexible hips and ankles. Impressive speed; ran 11.13 100-meter dash in February. Rare burst and acceleration. Good hand-eye coordination. 

Instincts: Electric open-field ball-carrier. Capable of making multiple defenders miss in succession; plants foot for hard lateral cuts, skinnies hips to slip through tackles at speed. Tracks ball effortlessly downfield as receiver. Can adjust in midair for catches outside body; jump-ball threat. 

Polish: Raw, promising route-runner. Must expand tree beyond gos and screens, diversify releases off LOS. Unknown ability as blocker. Needs to add weight, strength. 

Bottom Line: Don’t be surprised if Curtis makes a name for himself early in his career as Miami’s primary return man. Also recruited at cornerback, but bet here is he proves too dynamic with the ball to play defense. Surefire contributor as return specialist and gadget player, with potential to emerge as quality wide receiver down the line.