2024 – r-Freshman
• Named to SEC All-Freshman Football Team
• Saw action in 11 of UK’s 12 games, starting the final five games
• Earned his first career start vs. Auburn and also started vs. Tennessee, Murray State, Texas and Louisville
• Totaled 25 blocks at the point of attack and seven knockdown blocks
• Had only one missed assignment in 11 games

2023 – Freshman
• Mid-year enrollee

High School
• Consensus three-star prospect
• The 10th-ranked player in Kentucky by 247sports
• Named 2022 WBON-TV’s Co-Player of the Year in Kentucky
• A four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for head coach Mike Holcomb
• Helped Madison Central to the KHSAA Class 6A Regional Championship Game and a 9-4 record in 2022
• As a senior, supported an offense that had 452 carries for 3,026 yards and 30 touchdowns and 81 pass completions for 1,328 yards and 20 touchdowns
• Also saw some time on defense, making 29 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss
• Played varsity basketball
• Chose Kentucky over Kansas, Louisville, Purdue and West Virginia among others

Community Cats
• Volunteered with My New Kentucky Home (2023)
• Volunteered to help a group of little league football players (2023)

Personal
• Born in Richmond, Kentucky
• Son of Pamela Wood
• Grandfather, Michael Wood, was an offensive guard at the University of Cincinnati from 1979-81
• Major is communication

Malachi Says
• His nickname is “Big Mal”
• He chose Kentucky because it’s home
• After football, his dream job is to be an astronaut
• The person he admires most is his mom
• If he had to eat only one meal the rest of his life he would choose steak and potatoes