Alabama football’s Malachi Moore deserves more respect.
Alabama football has plenty of individual stars on the roster. From Mac Jones to DeVonta Smith, the offense is littered with Heisman contenders. The defense is young, but veteran leaders like Dylan Moses and Patrick Surtain have gotten recognition for their play. One player is being disrespected despite his talent, and his name is Malachi Moore. Moore was not listed as a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, and it is an absolute snub.
Moore is only a freshman, but he is already starting on the talented Alabama defense. It is rare for freshmen to start without injuries to a unit, but Moore is simply the best STAR player available. He has been great so far and leads the team in interceptions.
We’ve already detailed how he is the future of the Alabama secondary, but he is becoming the present. His style is similar to Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Fitzpatrick is the only defensive back of the Nick Saban era to win this award.
This committee has a history of voting for older players. No one has ever won the award twice, and that is mostly because they vote for upperclassmen. Even legends like Charles Woodson and Deion Sanders could not repeat. As recent as last year, Grant Delpit won the award over his superior teammate Derek Stingley Jr.
There is a lot that goes into these awards. Leadership and character play a role. That being said, there is no reason to believe that Malachi Moore has not earned the right to be a semifinalist. He could win it outright, but he has the stats and character to be considered.
However, another Alabama football player might still win the Thorpe Award. Patrick Surtain was one of many Alabama players to be listed as a semifinalist for a major award. He is the biggest name on the Thorpe semifinal list, but the selection committee could go in any direction.
At the end of the day, playing for Alabama means that you are playing for something bigger than an individual award. That being said, it is frustrating that one of the Tide’s brightest stars is not getting the recognition that they deserve. Either way, Malachi Moore still has at least two more years to win the Thorpe Award.