Film Room: Malachi Wood

Late on Saturday night, Vince Marrow recorded his third in-state recruiting win for Kentucky in the class of 2023. Richmond (Ky.) Madison Central offensive tackle Malachi Wood became the fourth pledge in the class as the mid three-star prospect joined the fold.

The 2023 prospect owns five other Power Five scholarship offers — Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Purdue, West Virginia — and took an unofficial visit to WVU back in September. However, Kentucky was able to win out for their first offensive line commitment in the class.

For new offensive line coach Zach Yenser, Wood will join an offense that will attempt to progress as the Wildcats transition to a wide zone running scheme. The local product brings some intriguing traits to the table thanks to some big measurables.

To see what Wood will bring to the table, KSR is taking you into the film show to show what the potential left tackle can do at the next level.

The most attractive part of Malachi Wood is the extreme size. Currently, the offensive tackle is listed at 6-foot-7 and 289 pounds. With good length combined with mass, Wood has the chance to turn into a dominant force. When the 2023 prospect plays with good technique, he showed dominant stretches as a high school junior.

On the outside run concept, Wood faces what appears to be a 4i defensive end that is aligned on the tackle’s inside shoulder. Therefore, Wood has an advantage as long as an early punch is landed. The left tackle does a good job of coming out of his stance with a wide base, getting his hands inside, and finishing the play with a knockdown block.

At times, the left tackle does play high but when he locks on inside, Wood can be a dominant player as his wide base gives him a ton of power.

Beating defenders at the point of attack is needed, but Kentucky’s zone scheme requires offensive line players to move and climb up to second-level defenders to create creases in the run game. Malachi Wood does a great job of playing under control. That allows him to lock onto smaller linebackers.

Uncovered by the defense, Wood’s responsibility is to help his guard inside and then climb up to the second level to seal off the Mike linebacker. After helping the left guard defeat the defensive tackle, Wood climbs up and does a good job sealing off the linebacker. Once locked on, the smaller player does not have much of a chance, and the left tackle finishes the play with a pancake block.

A wide base and playing under control allow Malachi Wood to win the rep dominantly.

In the wide zone scheme, Kentucky will call for their tackles to run a track and complete reach blocks on defensive ends. Quite often, this won’t happen instantly and tackles must be athletic enough to move laterally with big athletes while staying locked on. Malachi Wood has the chance to turn into a prototypical wide zone tackle.

Wood gets caught bending at the waist to begin the outside track but does a good job of locking on and getting his hands inside to gain control. The left tackle is then able to use the defensive end’s momentum against him and eventually takes the defender to the turf. That blocking win along with a clean kickout block from No. 44 creates the needed seam for an explosive run in the red zone.

The left tackle prospect will need to work at staying back out of the stance, but Wood does a terrific job with his hands and has the athleticism to move comfortably in space.

From a pass protection standpoint, there is not much there on film but that is expected from high school prospects. For a better look, Malachi Wood would need to be scouted in a camp setting to see where he stands. However, the traits are obvious.

Wood is a big offensive tackle with great size and a frame to grow into. The 2023 recruit plays with a good base, uses inside hands, and has good playing power when those two come together. There are some things to work on, but there is a ton to like. The newest commit is a versatile blocker in run schemes and should have the lower-body strength needed in pass protection to anchor and take on power rushers.

Malachi Wood looks like an obvious wide zone scheme fit as Kentucky records another in-state recruiting win.