NFL Draft Profile: Malcolm Rodriguez, Outside Linebacker, Oklahoma State Cowboys

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Oklahoma State OLB Malcolm Rodriguez

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#20
Pos: OLB
Ht: 5110
Wt: 232
Hand: 958
Arm: 3018
Wing: 7258
40: 4.52
Vertical: 39.5
Broad: 1000
DOB: 3/29/1999
Hometown: Wagoner, OK
High School: Wagoner

Malcolm Rodriguez
Oklahoma State Cowboys

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One Liner:

Rodriguez is a crafty linebacker that uses subtlety and intelligence to make plays.

Pros:

Rodriguez is excellent in avoiding blocks on stretch or outside zones, staying in his run fit and avoiding arms of linemen with excellent leverage and technique. His quick feet allow him to shuffle and burst, making tackles with little wasted movement and stuffing attempts to gain yardage. Impressive first step that really shows when deployed as a Blitzer. He Shows Intelligence and nuance in coverage, where he gets hands-on early and is athletic enough to mirror backs or tight ends in zone match principles over the middle or to the flat. At his best when he beats linemen laterally and arrives before the guard or tackle can kick out.

Cons:

Not a bad athlete but not great sideline to sideline. Usually stays away from traffic but his smaller frame can show up when linemen are head up with hands-on. This is where more aggressiveness or play strength is needed as he won't be able to beat NFL linemen with dip and rip or other various finesse moves at the NFL level. Best situated for base personnel due to his inability to gain ground, making him primarily a two-down player.

Summary:

Malcolm Rodriguez is a solid linebacker who makes plays with instincts and no wasted movement. His disciplined eyes allow him to cover up his lack of explosiveness as he reaches the back before linemen get their hands on him. A transition to stacked outside backer, primarily as a sam on base downs will be his best fit at the NFL level.

Background:

Rodriguez is an Oklahoma native that went to Wagoner High School, where he left his mark on the school with three straight state championships including a 37-0 record as the quarterback for Wagoner. He also played defensive back and was awarded the Oklahamon’s 2016 All-State Defensive Player of the year in 2016. He was an active participant off the gridiron, holding roles on the prom committee, Spanish club, National Honor Society, and Class Vice President. His time with the Cowboys earned him multiple Second Team All-Big 12 accolades and was voted as Team Captain before the 2020 season. He majored in Agricultural Communications.

Grade:

Rounds 5-6

Quotes:

“Rodriguez has been a career gap-hog, finding and finishing runners who come his way. His floor is as a good backup and core special teams player, but the smart bet might be to project his impact production to follow him into the league.” Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

“The Cowboys have lived in anonymity this season despite being a top-10 team with one of the better defenses in the country. Malcolm Rodriguez is their leader. A hybrid defender who has played both safety and linebacker at OSU, Rodriguez is instinctive, tough as nails, and flies to the ball.” Tony Paulinen ProFootballNetwork