Malik Howard is only heading into his sophomore year of high school, but he’s on Kentucky’s radar. The Cats are already eying some young talent in the 2027 class.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end from Oak Ridge (TN) told KSR+ that he visited Kentucky for a spring practice. He received an offer from the program about two months later.
“I went up to visit this spring and I love their facilities. I got to watch spring practice and see how they run practice. What really appealed to me was how fiery the practice was,” Howard said. “From what I was able to see, they play physical, SEC football. That’s a brand of football that I love to play. I love to go out and hit people. That would be a great situation to be in.”
Howard hasn’t been in a lot of contact with Kentucky since the offer, mainly because coaches can’t reach out directly to 2027 prospects until next June. However, he said another visit will “certainly be in the future.”
“They were pretty much just telling me how much they really liked my film, how I was able to make explosive plays and things like that,” Howard said.
His Wider Recruitment
Malik Howard already has some Power Five schools on his trail this summer. Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana have been the main schools in contact.
“It’s been great to experience the hospitality of different schools, meet different coaches through camps, learn different styles, and really better myself as a player,” Howard said.
Howard has been on campus at Tennessee, Indiana, and Vanderbilt. He’s talking with coaches about planning more visits but has nothing on the calendar yet.
“It’s been somewhat difficult, not being able to have direct conversations with them all the time,” Howard said. “All the coaches have made a great effort to be in contact with me, regardless of those boundaries.”
Howard said he’s looking for a program that “pushes its players on both sides of the ball.” He wants to see development from players year after year.
Malik Howard’s Game
2027 tight end Malik Howard of Oak Ridge (TN) is a player to watch when On3 unveils its 2027 rankings. His lateral quickness, especially for his size, is what he considers to be his greatest strength.
“It really helps me get open and make open-field blocks on linebackers,” he said.
Howard is looking to improve his speed heading into this season. He’s also working on his blocking and route running.
“I can split out a lot, and play a lot of slot receiver and outside receiver,” Howard said. “I can also stay in and be a blocking tight end; I can fit anywhere.”
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