FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons outside linebacker DeAngelo Malone has tried to persevere with the help of his mother, Angelena Jackson.
“When times get hard, I can get discouraged a little bit,” Malone told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday. “She keeps me going. She’s my motivation. She is the reason why I come here every day and put the work in. Just to put her in a better position.”
Malone, after a spectacular career at Cedar Grove High and Western Kentucky, was drafted in the third round (82nd overall) by the Falcons in the 2022 NFL draft.
Malone, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, had trouble getting on the field. He played 216 defensive snaps as a rookie and didn’t play any last season, while the Falcons tried to convert him to an inside linebacker.
Malone, who’s playing under his third defensive coordinator in as many seasons, just kept on working and making plays on special teams.
Malone, who is Western Kentucky’s all-time sacks leader, with 34, played 23 snaps Sunday against the Cowboys and has earned more playing time.
“It was a blessing just to be able to go out and contribute,” Malone said. “I would say, I’ve been waiting my time. I would say the reveal like that was a blessing. Honestly, I think it was the rotation. When guys go down, the next man up. So, I just had that mentality.”
With two tackles, a tackle for loss, a hurry and a pressure, Malone did well enough to impress defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake.
“So happy for DeAngelo,” Lake said. “He really earned his right to get some more playing time. He’s done everything that we’ve asked on special teams. He’s been one of our best special-teams players, game in, game out.”
The Falcons have been searching for pass-rush help.
“In practice, he showed up,” Lake said. “He (kept) getting around the quarterback. We decided to give him an opportunity. He gave us some energy, gave us some juice. He got some quarterback pressures. I think you’ll continue to see him, get some more opportunities to rush the passer.”
Folks have been waiting for the local guy to get some action.
“My phone has been blowing up,” Malone said. “I can say that my mom has been the happiest. Just seeing me because she always preached to me, ‘Be patient, your time is coming.’ We’d have talks like that. Long talks at night and things like that, but she is so excited. My whole family can’t wait for me to get out there.”
Malone could have gotten down on himself. He’s been considered a tweener since his high school days. Under former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen the Falcons tried to move him to inside linebacker last season.
As Malone was coming out of Cedar Grove, the power-conference schools thought he was too small. He was listed at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds. He went on to terrorize quarterbacks at Western Kentucky. Malone finished his career with 34 sacks and 59 tackles for loss over 53 games.
“My mental focus has always been there,” Malone said. “I always knew if I was being patient, just waiting my turn, then it would come. Just like every time that I step out there on special teams I had an opportunity. Just as long as I just kept trusting the process and going out there, just going about my business, I knew this would come.”
Malone is ready to take on those 300-pound offensive tackles.
“It’s not even that, it’s about your heart size, for real, honestly,” Malone said. “I feel like I make up for my size with my speed, my physicality and things like that. It’s never been the size thing because you’ve got guys 230 (pounds) still out there rushing the passer. If you can play, you can play.”
Malone, who seems to always have a smile on his face, didn’t get upset with the temporary move to inside linebacker.
“It was a smooth transition,” Malone said. “I didn’t really get the reps that I wanted. But just still be active, just cover ground and stop the run. Those are things you need in order to be a successful outside linebacker.”
Malone was named to the Georgia Sports Writers Association’s All-State first team and earned All-Metro honors from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in his stellar high school career. He was a three-star recruiting prospect.
“I’m so happy for D-Lo,” Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said “Man, he got an (opportunity) to rush and play some defensive snaps with us. He’s a guy who owned his role. I think he always wanted a bigger role, but he never complained.”
The players noticed his determination.
“Showed up to work every day, grinding since he got here,” Jarrett said. “Just working to get better and better. He’s going to continue to get better and continue to try to put himself in position to get more turns on defense.”
Malone has a strong support system. Former Cedar Grove coach Jermaine “Jimmy” Smith, who currently is the running backs coach at TCU, predicted that Malone would be fine.
“I know that he’s going to be really good,” Smith told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2022.
Malone is in the game plan for the game Sunday versus the Saints.
“We’re going to continue to see what our guys can handle, what they can’t handle,” Lake said. “That’s the beautiful thing about football. It’s an awesome journey.”
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