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Colts select Miami TE Will Mallory in the fifth round; grandson of ex-IU coach Bill Mallory

nate atkins, indianapolis star
·2 min read
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INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts aren't short on tight ends, but they're adding more faces to the competition.

Indianapolis drafted Miami tight end Will Mallory with the No. 162 pick in the fifth round.

At 6-foot-4 1/2 and 239 pounds, Mallory is a move tight end who can run a 4.54-second 40-yard dash. He caught 115 passes for 1,544 yards and 14 touchdowns across five seasons.

"I'm a big tight end who can move the chains and make things happen with the ball in my hands," Mallory said.

Mallory's athletic profile certainly fits the Colts. His 4.54-second 40 time places him in the top 3% of all tight end prospects since 1987. His 36.5-inch vertical jump is a top 9% mark all-time, too.

Mallory has some long family connections in the state of Indiana. His grandfather, Bill, was the Indiana University football coach from 1984-1996. His uncle, Curt, is the current football coach at Indiana State. Additionally, his father, Mike, has coached for more than 30 years in the NFL. Another uncle, Doug, was a defensive backs coach with the Falcons.

The Indianapolis Colts selected University of Miami tight end Will Mallory in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Indianapolis Colts selected University of Miami tight end Will Mallory in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

More: Colts draft another potential starting CB in South Carolina's Darius Rush in the round

Like many Colts draft picks, Will Mallory also participated in this year's Senior Bowl and was a team captain at Miami.

Will Mallory now joins a crowded and mostly young tight end room. The Colts have Mo Alie-Cox back as the Y tight end, plus second-year players such as Jelani Woods and Drew Ogletree, who should be locks for the roster. The Colts traditionally carry four tight ends, and Mallory could find himself in a battle for the 'F' position on the roster with Kylen Granson.

The group will look to provide splash plays and security blankets for rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the draft.

"Obviously, there's a lot of excitement going on up there," Will Mallory said. "I wasn't expecting this call, but I'm glad it happened."

Contact Colts insider Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts select Miami TE Will Mallory in the fifth round