Josh Malone/Robert Meachem
This is a comparison I’ve heard thrown around from time to time. Meachem went on to be a first-round draft pick and one of the best receivers UT’s had in the modern era. Malone has failed to reach his lofty recruiting expectations to this point. But what’s interesting about this duo is that, through two years, they had the exact same number of receptions:
Malone: 54 receptions, 636 yards, 3 TDs
Meachem: 54 receptions, 842 yards, 6 TDs
Meachem then broke out during his junior year in 2006 with 71 receptions, 1,298 yards and 11 touchdowns. Could Malone do something similar as a junior in 2016? That remains to be seen, but Malone (or any other UT receiver) breaking out for 1,000+ yards this year would be a boon for the offense.
