As Signing Day Approaches, Star DT Tywone Malone set to visit Aggies, Rebs and Vols
Just 15 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan where the Hackensack River runs through, you will find the borough of Oradell, New Jersey. And what — or who — has sparked the interest of the deep south in this Jersey town? Tywone Malone of Bergen Catholic High School is the resounding answer.
The two-sport star Malone stands 6-foot-3.5-inches tall and weighs 300 pounds. Not only can he command a defensive line, but he also has one heck of a swing at the plate. As the clock winds down to Signing Day on February 3rd, it is no wonder there is a battle for the talented athlete.
The SI All-American, listed by 247Sports as the No. 5 defensive tackle in the nation and the top player in the state of New Jersey, has narrowed his sights to these final schools: Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Rutgers, USC, Tennessee and FSU.
The Final6️⃣‼️@Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/pueGL5MVGE
— Tywone Malone (@TywoneMalone) October 6, 2020
Malone’s unofficial visits
While programs are not allowed to officially host recruits because of COVID-19, that hasn’t stopped some of the nation’s prospects from taking the initiative and making their own unofficial campus visits, and Malone is no exception. The 4-star Malone is about 19 days away from inking where he will play on Saturdays, so it should come as no surprise that he and his family are visiting, and re-visiting, some of his final choices between now and Signing Day.
Tywone Malone is also a standout player on the baseball diamond.
Malone visited the Noles out in Tallahassee last weekend, and his next stop looks to be College Station this upcoming weekend. He told Chris Nee of Noles247 that he has already visited Rutgers (the closest of the schools in proximity to him) on more than one occasion and has also been to Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Malone took a visit to A&M during his junior season, and reports are that he will visit Aggieland again this coming weekend before closing things out with a trip to Ole Miss and Tennessee the following weekend on the 23rd.
Though the 247Sports Crystal Ball has Malone going to Ole Miss, keep an eye out for how his trip goes to College Station.
All indications are that Malone will make his decision after those visits. “Probably take a week off [after those visits] to think about everything and review my options,” Malone told Noles247. “Then jump to February 3rd and decide then.”
Breaking it Down: The Malone Magic
Coach Kiffin and his defensive staff still appear to be right on track in solving some of the defensive woes that have plagued the Rebs as of late. They have searched high and low and have inked some of the top young talent in the country.
Brian Dohn, a national recruiting analyst with 247Sports, describes Malone as such:
“Long with a thick frame, built to play interior defensive line. Dual-sport athlete as a high-level baseball player. Strong at the point of attack. Disengages and locates the ball carrier quickly. Can re-direct and run down the line of scrimmage. Relies heavily on strength in winning leverage battles. Fires off the ball quickly and stays low. Can chase play down from behind. Consistent tackler. High effort player. Should be a multi-year standout at a high-level Power 5 program.”
Here’s video footage from Malone’s senior season and his breakout junior season.
A Fit in the Sip
The Rebels have lacked substantial size on the defensive line and that is something that is being addressed. Malone’s huge frame and strength would obviously bring power to the defensive front.
One of the reasons so many schools want Malone is the diverse skillset he brings to the table. While he may be a jack of all trades, he has shown consistency and mastery that make him a heck of a defensive lineman and a slugger on the baseball field.
Watch this clip and check out Malone’s athleticism.
Big Man Touchdown ❕❗️❕
Tywone Malone (@TywoneMalone) with the pick-six for @BergenCathFBall pic.twitter.com/GSlxN0yrtS
— Gus Ramos (@G1Bound) October 10, 2020
Malone definitely possesses football and baseball IQ. Playing on the defensive line and at first base takes a great deal of mental and physical prowess, so both Lane Kiffin and baseball head coach Mike Bianco would love to get him to the Sip!
When he makes his final visit to Oxford before National Signing Day, let’s hope he tells the folks back home that he has found the promised land.
All Aboard!
For Ole Miss recruiting news, follow Recruiting Analyst, Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo on Twitter @MissKYUS200
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Herring-Olvedo sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
