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University of Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney.
The son of a former Buffalo Bills wide receiver had a monster performance in the College Football Playoff title game — though it wasn’t enough to push his team to a victory.
Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney was one of the best players in Monday’s title game, showing off his electric speed and the skills that made him one of college football’s top freshmen this season. The Hurricanes fell short in their attempt to knock off the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers, but Toney made a big impression in the game.
Toney’s father, Antonio Brown, was a wide receiver and return specialist for the Bills in the early 2000s. While he was not a star like the Pittsburgh Steelers receiver of the same name, Buffalo’s Antonio Brown
Malachi Toney’s Valiant Effort
Toney had 10 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown in Monday’s 27-21 loss to the Hoosiers, the top target for quarterback Carson Beck.
Toney also had a huge game in the team’s 31-27 win over Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff semifinal, making five receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown and adding 11 rushing yards.
The speedy freshman earned some big praise this season, with ESPN’s Billy Tucker ranking him as the nation’s No. 1 freshman. Tucker noted that the true freshman is still young enough to be a high school senior, but instead excelled against some of the nation’s top college football programs.
“He became Carson Beck’s most reliable target and one of the nation’s most productive receivers, ranking fourth in catches (94) while tallying 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns,” Tucker wrote. “He broke Miami’s single-season reception record against Texas A&M and already owns the program’s freshman receiving yardage mark.”
Tucker predicted that Toney has a chance to become an all-time great player at Miami.
“In their heyday, the Hurricanes cultivated a steady pipeline of star receivers including Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne and Andre Johnson,” Tucker wrote. “With secure hands, quickness after the catch and fearlessness in traffic, Toney looks like Miami’s next great playmaker and has solidified his status as one of the sport’s brightest young stars as the Hurricanes return to national prominence.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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