The NFL Supplemental Draft returns on Tuesday, July 11, after being on hiatus since 2019. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Jackson State wide receiver Malachi Wideman was granted eligibility to be selected by the NFL. We’re diving into whether Wideman could be selected in the 2023 NFL Supplemental Draft.

Malachi Wideman NFL Draft Profile

• Position: Wide Receiver
• School: Jackson State
• Current Year: RS Sophomore
• Height/Weight: 6’5″, 190 pounds

The second Supplemental Draft prospect approved after Purdue wide receiver Milton Wright is Wideman. Like the Purdue playmaker, Wideman struggled with academics. The former four-star recruit began his career at Tennessee, playing football and basketball. After catching one pass for 24 yards in 2020, Wideman transferred to play under Deion Sanders at Jackson State.

Wideman enjoyed a breakout 2021 campaign, producing 540 yards and 12 touchdowns on only 34 receptions. He benefitted from his immense 6’5″ frame and basketball background against smaller, less physically gifted defenders. However, in 2022, he caught only three passes for 49 yards in six games.

Sanders said Wideman was suspended due to academic shortcomings before he returned in early October 2022. Unfortunately, Wideman didn’t pick up where he left off with quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Wideman was buried on the depth chart throughout the season, then opted for the Supplemental Draft instead of following Sanders to Colorado.

Malachi Wideman Scouting Report

Strengths

• Enormous catch radius allows him to go get a pass thrown in his general vicinity. Plays to his size.
• Long arms and flexible body give him the ability to highpoint as you’d hope with his size but also go down to the ground or reach behind him on inaccurate throws.
• Tracks the ball effectively and can create late separation on vertical routes. Was often ahead of where the ball was thrown and adjusted to finish without tipping the defender the ball was coming.
• Physicality at the catch point and after the catch doesn’t faze him. Helps him create some yards after the catch occasionally.
• Has power-slot potential as a pseudo-TE seam threat.
• Balance and body control allows him to win in the red zone and on the sideline consistently.
• Works hard to get open, including head fakes and dead-leg effects to help maximize his chances of creating space.

Areas for Improvement

• Limited route-tree potential due to his large frame and lack of nimble feet. Will struggle to be effective on anything that’s not a slant, go-route, or comeback.
• A laborious runner who won’t create significant separation until the ball arrives. The quarterback has to trust his ability to create at the catch point more than his timing on routes.
• Ability to create after the catch is typical of a big-bodied receiver. His physicality helps create some upside, but he’s not a bowling ball like Deebo Samuel.
• Wasn’t a high-volume player in college. Lost his role upon coming back in 2022, so it’s fair to be concerned as to how sharp he’ll be right away in 2023.

Jackson State WR Malachi Wideman’s Current Draft Projection

With the way the Supplemental Draft works, any team that selects Wideman will be using the corresponding pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Teams bid blindly with a round selection.

Simply in terms of talent, Wideman has a good argument to be drafted. No receiver over 6’4″ was drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. The NFL has shifted to embracing smaller, shiftier playmakers who can win quickly in space. Teams still like size since 14 receivers 6’2″ or taller were taken, but 10 of them were Day 3 selections.

Someone of Wideman’s size has generally been less of a priority and is therefore seeing lower levels of investment into the archetype. It’s abnormal for such tall athletes to be limber and dynamic enough to be more than a QB-dependent or situational player. Wideman can certainly fill a role on an offense with a passer who was a willing risk-taker like Sanders was.

Unlike the other receiver in this Supplemental Draft, Wright, Wideman has better mobility in space and is more explosive at the catch point. He plays like you’d expect as a former basketball player who has a gigantic wingspan. Wideman’s ability to make a difference on jump balls and rushed throws that aren’t directly in his hands gives him more value than a stiffer vertical threat who has to have a well-placed ball.

Wideman’s thin frame will make it hard for him to move to tight end. Unlike denser bodies that boast great height, Wideman is a pure receiver who has a distinct height advantage. He’s similar to George Pickens, but the projection from Jackson State to the NFL obviously includes a larger talent gap. Additionally, the fact he essentially didn’t play in 2022 will further hurt Wideman’s value.

The 22-year-old can still be a solid late-round addition or flier to a roster able to bring him along slowly or in a specific role. Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Minnesota stand out as teams lacking depth options who boast size.

I’d predict Wideman gets signed after the Supplemental Draft and is not selected, but he would be a solid low-risk addition worth developing.

Supplemental Draft Projection: Round 7 or undrafted