Ourlads' Profile:
2025 Guide: What Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services said about MALIK VERDON:
Iowa State | Hometown: Hamilton, OH | HT: 6037 | WT: 219 | 40 time: N/A | Hand: 1000 | Arm: 3300 | Wing: 7912
Three-year starter. Second-team All-Big 12 in 2024, honorable mention in 2023. Aligns in a variety of roles for the Iowa State defense including apexed, on the edge, in the box, and at deep safety in three-high looks. Excellent size with long arms and muscle definition. A physical presence who gets the dirty work done in the trenches. Plays his best football downhill where he will fill the alley with solid acceleration. His physicality and line-of-scrimmage skills allow him to slow down tight ends throughout their route. Zone turn is smooth with refined bail technique to work downfield quickly. Quick processor when reading the quarterback, and reaction speed plus decent range allow him to get in the throwing lane. Flashes ball skills to get his hands in the way of passes both facing and turned away from the passer. He can leverage running backs out of the backfield in man coverage with considerable lateral agility. In the box, he stays square and scrapes tight to the line to meet the running back in the lane. Tough edge setter who will get physical with linemen and tight ends to force running backs inside. A secure tackler who brings ball carriers down in the trenches and in space. Stiff movements in space, and shows tightness in his extremities. His backpedal needs some work and he struggles to weave when dropping back. He is a step slow and lacks the fluidity in man coverage to stick with his man throughout the route. Fringe plant-and-drive ability and takes time to break on the ball. Inconsistencies shedding blocks on the perimeter and must polish his hand usage.
2024 Stats: 76 T, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack, 5 PBU, 1 QBH, 2 FF, 1 INT. SS-4.34. Draft projection: 5th-6th round