GOOD NEWS: Potential player announces he’ll return to Alabama for 2024 season Fr Alabama football received some good news officially on Tuesday night. Defensive back Malachi Moore will be returning to Tuscaloosa for a fifth season. The Trussville native announced his decision on social media with a hype video flashing “I’m back” at the end.
His return gives UA another returning piece in the secondary along with Caleb Downs while the other three head for the NFL Draft. Moore’s decision was reported along with Kool-Aid McKinstry andd Terrion Arnol’s by ESPN.
Moore ranked eighth on the team with 52 tackles. He also tallied five tackles for loss, four pass breakups and one interception. Of returning UA defenders, Moore is fourth in tackles. He is listed at 6-foot, 198 pounds and set career highs in playing time and stops in 2023. He bounced between safety and STAR, or nickel cornerback.
“To me, that’s like kind of the biggest honor you can receive here. Just being looked at by your teammates and your brothers as a person who leads by example and somebody they can look up to that does the right thing, yeah, it’s truly an honor to be voted a captain by my teammates,” Moore said in December.
The former Hewitt-Trussville standout has been credited with his physical ability to bounce between the secondary as well as keep UA’s defensive backs on the same page. Moore had three tackles in Alabama’s 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl. In 52 career games, Moore has made 87 career tackles.
Since UA’s season ended, three defensive backs have opted for the transfer portal — Kristian Story, Earl Little Jr. and Jake Pope — making Moore’s return even more valuable. Head coach Nick Saban will need to replace McKinstry, Arnold and Jaylen Key as starters next fall.
