IOL Mal Waldrep narrows list to four schools and locks in official visits

Mal Waldrep was on the verge of cutting his list down late in 2023. He is glad he waited because of all of the coaching changes. The three-star interior offensive lineman out of Phenix City (Ala.) Central has taken his time and he has it down to four schools.

“I have set up official visits with Clemson (May 31), Alabama (June 7), Florida (June 14) and Tennessee (June 21) and those are mainly the four schools I am focused on,” Waldrep told On3. “I plan to take those official visits, come back and talk things over with my family, then commit sometime this summer.

Auburn has not been completely eliminated, but the Tigers, Crimson Tide, Gators and Volunteers have moved to the top of his list.

“These schools have really caught my eye. I have visited these campuses before and I had great visits to each school. I like what I saw at Florida and Tennessee this spring and I have visited Alabama and Clemson multiple times, so I have a great feel for each school.”

Waldrep is an Alabama legacy. He has visited Tuscaloosa once since Kalen DeBoer took over. Over time, he has been there more than he can count. Clemson has had him on campus around half a dozen times. These official visits will factor into his summer decision.

“I am going to sit down after the official visits with my parents, then take a little time and make the decision.” Waldrep added. “If you know, you know, so anything could happen, but I don’t see myself committing until after the official visits.

“It will come down to my checklist. I will list pros and cons about each school, talk it out and make my decision.”

Waldrep talks Alabama, Clemson, Florida and Tennessee

Alabama: “Coach DeBoer is a winning coach. He has won everywhere he has coached at. Alabama still has a talented group of players, they will be a good team under Coach DeBoer. Alabama is also in the SEC, I like coach Kap and they have a history of winning.”

Clemson: “Coach Luke has been a game-changer. He is a great guy, he is so enthusiastic and he breaks down my film and shows me what I can work on and how he can help me. I like Coach Luke a lot and he can develop me. That is big for me.”

Florida: “I have been talking to Coach Sale for a while. I tried for a game and after finally getting down there for a spring practice, it caught my eye. I really liked the way they practice, how competitive they are and after that visit, I could see myself there.”

Tennessee: “Coach Elarbee and I have been in contact for a while. When I saw it this spring, I really liked it there. Tennessee is a good team, they are motivated to keep going there and that have one of the best staffs in the SEC. I really like Coach Elarbee’s group of offensive linemen too.”