Kroger Hometown Community Tour: UK Commit Malachi Wood

The Kroger KSR Hometown Community Tour stopped in Richmond for a sit-down interview with Madison Central offensive tackle Malachi Wood. The 6’8″, 285 lbs. senior committed to Kentucky in March. He told KSR that his relationship with the Wildcat coaches and the family atmosphere surrounding the program influenced his decision. He also mentioned a conversation with John Schlarman and the Big Blue Wall tradition as factors as to why he picked the Wildcats.

“Before Coach Schlarman passed, I went to this Fan Day when I was 11 or 12 and we talked for like 20, 30 minutes. We just had a really good talk. He said he’d be on the lookout for me even that early. I still remember that.”

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Wood possesses elite height and arm length for an offensive tackle. I also appreciate his posture in pass block sets and he is a natural bender. Both traits are mandatory in his position. Rated a 3-star by On3, the UK commit has exceeded expectations in 2022. A team-first player, Wood is also playing defensive end and rarely comes off the football field. I found our conversation to be enlightening and enjoyable. There is a certain leadership presence about the young man that is hard to explain but can be seen in this video.

Madison Central is 4-0 and is looking to make a deep run in the playoffs. We hope you enjoy our interview with Malachi Wood. There’s something about this kid that is special. For starters, his first stop when visiting Kroger is the snack aisle. Same here Malachi. He’s incredibly smart and speaks with a sense of humility that you’d expect from a seasoned Big Blue Wall member not a high school senior. I’m following his development closely. Kentucky is getting a good one here.

Check out our other Kroger Hometown Community Tour Stops: Franklin County (Kentucky commit Kaden Moorman, linebacker Peyton Ledford, and head coach Eddie James), Great Crossing (Oryend Fisher), Boyle County (Tommy Ziesmer), New Albany (William “Woo” Spencer)

Kroger is a staple in your hometown community just like high school football. There’s nothing quite like Friday nights in the Bluegrass. We are honored to share this journey with Kroger and you for the third consecutive season. We hope you enjoy this interview series and look forward to more tour stops in communities around the Commonwealth.