Malique' Franklin

Physical Profile

Franklin has a prototypical SEC edge frame: 6-6 with 258 pounds already on board and obvious room to add 10-15 more without losing bend. The length is the headline trait — at his height he projects to win with reach, long-arm power, and the ability to knock down passing lanes when rush lanes close. His listed weight has fluctuated (250-258), which is typical of a recent position convert still filling out, and the height/length combination is exactly what Alabama covets for its 'bandit' field-side defensive end. The key projection question is whether his lower-body explosiveness and ankle flexibility match his frame; the early sack production suggests functional first-step quickness, but at 6-6 pad level and consistent leverage will be the developmental swing factor.

Play Style

Franklin plays with disruptive, length-driven aggression off the edge. His film and stat profile (high TFL and hurry totals) suggest a player who creates negative plays by penetrating and chasing rather than one who has been coached into a polished technician — he wins on raw get-off, reach, and motor more than on a developed move set. The 98 tackles are notable for an edge and point to range and effort in pursuit. Expect him, early on, to flash splash plays while still ironing out consistency snap-to-snap.

Strengths

• Elite length and frame for the position — at 6-6/258 he profiles as a true SEC edge with the wingspan to set hard edges, long-arm tackles, and bat down passes, and the build to carry NFL-caliber weight
• Exceptional production-per-experience ratio — 23 TFL, 11 sacks and 19 QB hurries in what was effectively his first season at defensive end signals natural pass-rush feel and a high learning curve rather than a refined, maxed-out skill set
• Positional versatility that the Alabama staff specifically valued — projectable across bandit defensive end and a stand-up Wolf/edge role, giving a defensive coordinator multiple alignment options

Areas to Improve

• Pass-rush plan and hand technique — as a one-year DL convert, his arsenal is almost certainly raw; he'll need to develop counters, a true bend-the-edge speed rush, and refined hand usage to convert high school athleticism into SEC wins
• Run-defense fundamentals and play strength — leverage at his height, anchor against double teams, and consistent gap discipline are the standard development ares for tall edge converts, and he'll need a year-plus in a college strength program to hold up on early downs

College Projection

Classic Alabama developmental edge: a redshirt-or-rotational first year while he adds weight, learns hand technique, and adjusts to SEC tempo, with a realistic path to a rotational pass-rush role by year two and a starting bandit/edge spot by year three if the strength and technique development tracks. As an early summer enrollee, he buys himself a head start on the playbook and the weight room. His ceiling is meaningfully higher than his three-star ranking because of how little football he's played at the position — he's a bet on traits and trajectory.

Best Fit

A multiple-front SEC/Power-conference defense that develops length-based edge rushers — precisely the Alabama 'bandit' field-side DE / stand-up Wolf scheme he committed to. He's ideal for a program with elite strength and DL development infrastructure and the patience to redshirt-and-build a raw, high-upside convert rather than one needing immediate snaps.