Now undrafted, WRs Malachi Wideman and Milton Wright pursue new opportunities

After not being picked in the supplemental draft, WRs Malachi Wideman and Milton Wright pursue new opportunities. Could the Saints sign one of them?

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The NFL supplemental draft came and went without any players being selected, and now the two prospects available are weighing their options. Could either of these wide receivers interest the New Orleans Saints? Here’s what’s next for Malachi Wideman and Milton Wright.

KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson reports that Wideman has a contract offer from the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, while the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas also own his rights. Wilson adds that Wideman plans to work out in front of NFL teams before training camp begins in late July (as does Wright). Wideman moves well at a listed 6-foot-5 but is rail-thin at 190 pounds. He’ll need to bulk up.

He’s a likelier candidate to land with the Saints than Wright, whose poor pro day performance likely disqualifies him in their front office. Wright weighed in at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds but timed the 40-yard dash in just 4.69 seconds while posting below-par numbers in the jumps and agility drills. That combined for an abysmal 1.31 unofficial Relative Athletic Score. For context, the Saints usually look for a RAS higher than 8 or 9 on the 10-point scale.

New Orleans’ decision-makers haven’t been as strict with their athletic thresholds for undrafted free agents as with draft picks, but it’s tough to see them making room for Wright between that and his being dismissed from Purdue’s team for being academically ineligible. Still, you never know. They could use more depth at receiver with all three of their top options missing time in spring practices due to injuries.

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Both Supplemental draft wide receivers go undrafted

Neither Supplemental draft entrant has found a home yet.

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Both wide receivers who entered the NFL Supplemental draft, Purdue’s Milton Wright and Jackson State’s Malachi Wideman, did not get a bid from the Cleveland Browns or the 31 other teams in the NFL. They are both now free agents who can sign with any team and compete for a roster spot in training camp.

Wideman has already been scheduling workouts with NFL teams and also has already received contract offers from XFL and Canadian Football League teams (according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).

The Browns have a full wide receiver room, so it would be a shock to see either player land on their 90-man roster as we are now just ten days out from the start of training camp.

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2023 NFL supplemental draft has 2 WR prospects

Purdue receiver Milton Wright and Jackson State wideout Malachi Wideman could be selected Tuesday.

The NFL supplemental draft is being held today, July 11, for the first time since 2019.

Two players have been granted eligibility.

The supplemental draft is held in the summer and is for players who have been granted special eligibility due to circumstances that affect their college eligibility for the coming year or extenuating circumstances as to why they did not enter the NFL draft earlier in the year.

If teams select a player, they are using one of their selections in the following year’s draft.

Who are the two players who have been accepted into the supplemental draft?

Purdue WR Milton Wright

Wright did not play in 2022 because he was academically ineligible.

He is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound wideout. He caught 57 passes for 732 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021.

His athletic testing was below average, highlighted by a 4.69-second 40-yard dash.

Jackson State WR Malachi Wideman

Wideman began his college career at Tennessee before transferring to Jackson State. He is 6-foot-5. In 2021, he caught 34 passes for 540 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had limited playing time last season, catching three passes for 49 yards and a score. NFL Draft Scout lists his 40 time at 4.49 seconds, very good for someone of his height.

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NFL to hold 2023 supplemental draft on Tuesday

The NFL will hold a supplemental draft on Tuesday. Two wide receivers — Malachi Wideman and Milton Wright — are eligible to be picked.

For the first time since 2019, the NFL will hold a supplemental draft this offseason.

The supplemental draft was originally “created to serve prospects who were not eligible for the annual spring draft for various reasons,” according to the league’s official website.

In order to make a pick in the supplemental pick, a team must forfeit a pick in the next draft. For example, if the Denver Broncos want to pick a player in this year’s supplemental draft, they would have to use a selection from their 2024 pool of draft picks (perhaps one of their two seventh-round picks).

There are only two players eligible for the supplemental draft his year — Jackson State wide receiver Malachi Wideman and Purdue wide receiver Milton Wright, according to NFL Network.

The most recent player selected in a supplemental draft was safety Jalen Thompson, who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with a fifth-round pick in 2019.

The Broncos have made a pick in a supplemental draft once in their history, using a first-round pick to select running back Bobby Humphrey in 1989.

The 2023 NFL supplemental draft will be held on Tuesday, July 11.

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The 2023 Supplemental draft will feature 2 players

The 2023 Supplemental draft will feature 2 wide receivers who were granted eligibility by the NFL

For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL will hold a supplemental draft this year. The official supplemental draft will take place on Tuesday, July 11th in the first edition of the midsummer selection process since 2019.

There are only two players who are eligible for selection in the supplemental draft, which is designed for players whose draft eligibility changed after the regular draft deadline. Both are wide receivers.

Jackson State’s Malachi Wideman and Milton Wright from Purdue are up for selection. Wideman is a transfer from Tennessee who had a big year at FCS-level Jackson State in 2021. Wright did not play for the Boilermakers in 2022 after being ruled academically ineligible.

Taking either wideout in the supplemental draft would cost any team the equivalent round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. No player has been selected in the supplemental draft since the Cardinals snagged safety Jalen Thompson back in 2019.

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Could Giants select a receiver in the 2023 NFL supplemental draft?

There are a couple wide receivers available in the 2023 NFL supplemental draft — could the New York Giants select one?

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The NFL is bringing back the supplemental draft this summer. The event, which was last held back in 2019, will be conducted on July 11.

The New York Giants, who have dipped into the supplemental draft in the past, could show some interest in two wide receivers that have qualified for the special draft.

Purdue’s Milton Wright, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound wideout, and Malachi Wideman (6’5″, 190), who played for Deion Sanders at Jackson State, are the featured players this season.

A team can use any of their upcoming picks in the 2024 NFL draft to secure the rights to an eligible player. If the player(s) go undrafted, they immediately become free agents and can be signed by any team.

The Giants have a crowded wide receiver room at the moment and there has been no indication they have any interest in spending future draft capital on either player, but it is worth keeping an eye on.

The Giants have used the supplemental draft three times in their history, most recently in 2018 when they used a third-round pick to select Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal.

In 1992, the Giants spent a first-round pick on Duke quarterback Dave Brown and two years later a fourth-rounder on Northeast Louisiana cornerback Tito Wooten.

Since the supplemental draft’s inception in 1977, it has produced several star players including Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter. Other notables include Bernie Kosar, Rob Moore, and Josh Gordon.

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Deion Sanders’ former player could interest Saints in 2023 supplemental draft

One of Deion Sanders’ former players could make sense for the Saints. Jackson State wide receiver Malachi Wideman entered the 2023 supplemental draft | @crissy_froyd

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The NFL is reviving the supplemental draft in 2023, with a handful of players emerging as potential targets for the New Orleans Saints. One of which is former Jackson State wide receiver Malachi Wideman, who saw action under Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders at JSU in addition to playing at Tennessee.

As was first reported by NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the former Volunteer is one of a very small number of players who have entered the supplemental draft. He is the second to do so along with former Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Milton Wright.

Wideman tallied 540 yards on 34 catches with 12 touchdowns in his first season with Coach Prime’s team, quickly making a statement across the SWAC. Those 12 trips to the end zone would led the conference in 2021, making room for high expectations for Wideman to build off of that in a big way for the 2022 season. That was not quite the case, though, as he recorded just three catches and a single score in 2022.

It will be interesting to see where Wideman lands — potentially New Orleans — when the supplemental draft kicks off on July 11. Teams may submit any of their 2024 draft picks in the 2023 supplemental draft to select a player, but the Saints have just five selections right now. They may opt to wait and sign anyone not picked in the supplemental draft as a free agent.

The Saints are led at wide receiver by Michael Thomas and Chris Olave, with the new addition of sixth-round former Wake Forest pass-catcher AT Perry also in the fold. There’s been talk of Perry becoming one of the biggest steals of the 2023 NFL Draft and while he and some of the other names on the roster could become notable standouts, there’s always room for more depth.

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Former Tennessee wide receiver enters NFL supplemental draft

Former Tennessee wide receiver enters the 2023 NFL supplemental draft.

Former Tennessee wide receiver Malachi Wideman has entered the NFL supplemental draft.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound wide receiver played at Tennessee in 2020. He appeared in six games, recording one reception and 24 receiving yards at Tennessee.

Wideman transferred to Jackson State prior to the 2021 season. He recorded 34 receptions, 540 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in 2021.

Wideman totaled three receptions, 49 receiving yards and one touchdown during six games in 2022 at Jackson State.

Wideman came to Tennessee from Venice High School in Venice, Florida. He was the No. 117 overall prospect and No. 22 wide receiver in the class of 2020, according to 247Sports composite.

PHOTOS: Tennessee’s Wide Receiver U through the years

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Will the Browns be interested in a former Deion Sanders’ player?

Former Jackson State Star Malachi Wideman declared for the NFL Supplemental draft. Could the Browns be interested?

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Malachi Wideman, a wide receiver from Jackson State and the Tennessee Volunteers, has declared for the NFL Supplemental draft as per Aaron Wilson. The Supplemental Draft will be held on July 11. The 6-foot-5 and 200-pound wide receiver started his college career at Tennessee in 2020 before transferring to Deion Sanders’ Jackson State. Could the Cleveland Browns find interest?

 In his first season with the Tigers, Malachi recorded 540 yards on 34 catches and 12 touchdowns. His 12 touchdowns would lead the SWAC in 2021. Unfortunately, Malachi failed to improve on his 2021 season, recording just three catches and a touchdown in 2022. Malachi was purportedly in Deion Sanders’ dog house for most of the season for unknown reasons. 

Before Malachi was at Jackson State, he was a freshman at Tennessee during the shortened 2020 season. Malachi was the Volunteers’ class of 2020 highest-ranked wide receiver recruit, over future Biletnikoff winner Jalin Hyatt. Malachi was not just a four-star football recruit, he was also a four-star basketball recruit. As a freshman, Wideman had one catch for 24 yards against Kentucky. Malachi decided to transfer after Tennessee fired their coaching staff in 2020.

Wideman has been training at former NFL star Brandon Marshall’s training facility, House of Athletes, this offseason in preparation for the NFL. The former two-sport star will be anxious to hear his name called in the Supplemental Draft on July 11.

The Supplemental draft is an auction, where teams bid next year’s draft picks on prospects for this season. If a prospect isn’t selected in the Supplemental draft they are eligible to sign with any NFL team as a free agent. So far only Malachi Wideman and former Purdue Boilermaker Milton Wright have declared for the Supplemental draft.

Could the Browns look to pair David Bell or Cedric Tillman with their former college teammate? It is possible. The Browns have relied on the Supplemental Draft before. In 2012 the Browns selected Josh Gordon as a second-round pick. The Browns will leave no stone unturned to find talent.

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Former Tennessee wide receiver expected to play for Deion Sanders

Former Vols’ wide receiver expected to play for Deion Sanders.

Wide receiver Malachi Wideman departed Tennessee’s football team last month.

He is expected to transfer and play for head coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State.

Wideman appeared in six games for the Vols as a freshman during the 2020 season. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound wide receiver recorded one reception for 24 yards in 2020.

Wideman is from Venice High School in Sarasota, Florida.

Sanders enters his second season as Jackson State’s head coach after a 4-3 spring season in 2021.

He served as offensive coordinator for Trinity Christian in Cedar Hill, Texas during the 2020 high school football season.

Sanders is a two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro and College Football Hall of Famer.

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