Malcolm Rodriguez

Malcolm Luciano Rodriguez (born March 29, 1999) is an American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma State.

Early years
Rodriguez attended Wagoner High School in Wagoner, Oklahoma. He played quarterback and defensive back in high school. During his career he had 115 touchdowns with 6,144 passing yards and 2,449 rushing yards. He was born to a Mexican father and Cherokee mother, holding a card for the Cherokee Nation.

College career
Rodriguez joined Oklahoma State in 2017 and played there until 2021. After starting his career as a safety he moved to linebacker in 2019. As a senior he was named a first-team All-American by ESPN. During his career, he had 408 tackles, 7.5 sacks, two interceptions, and a touchdown. In his final college game, he was named the MVP of the 2022 Fiesta Bowl.

Professional career
Rodriguez was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 188th pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games and started 15. He finished with one sack, 87 total tackles, two passes defended, and one forced fumble. He was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team.