Rutgers Football DB Malachi Melton talks year three, buying into defense
One of Rutgers Football’s top players on the entire roster regardless of position, cornerback prospect Max Melton spoke with the media for the first time since last Fall.
The third year defensive back talked about camp so far, his expectations for this season, working with a new set of coaches and more.
How has camp been so far?
MAX MELTON: “Camp has been great. You know we are getting one percent better everyday, coming out here and chopping in the heat and through adversity is making it harder and harder so the season will be easier.”
What are you expectations for year three on the banks?
MM: “For myself I just want to be a key part in this defense and I want this whole defense to just play together. I consider myself a leader now and if I can get everybody together, even the young guys then I think we can make really good progress.”
What are your overall thoughts on the defensive backs group, you guys bring back a whole lot of experience this season?
MM: “We are looking good, but we still have some more work to do with certain keys and stuff like that. The basics are looking really good so we are going to keep working on those fundamentals and keep maximizing our potential.”
We haven’t spoken with you since last Fall, have you had a chance to reflect on the situation last year and what did you learn from it?
MM: “I definitely made a mistake, that was in the past and I’m trying to move forward now.”
Max you have a new defensive backs coach working you this season in coach (Mark) Orphey, how has it been working with him and what kind of bond do you guys have?
MM: “He is definitely a peoples coach and I connect with him really well, he’s teaching me a ton on the field. It feels like a whole new game of football that I’m learning, so I’m just applying it to my game and I feel way more comfortable out there.”
What’s it like not having your brother (Bo Melton) on the team anymore now that he is in the NFL?
MM: “I’ve been tuning into YouTube because the Seahawks have been live-streaming their training camp practices. It’s kind of hard sometimes because they don’t show the whole team, but every time they do stream it I try to look for him. He looks real good out there, both slim and tight, he looks real good.”
Who took his place battling you now that he is gone?
MM: “Pretty much everybody, everyone has key parts of their game that were similar to Bo’s, but I just feel like Bo had that whole package as he was the best wide receiver I guarded. But everybody has their own little thing.”
What’s the next step for you?
MM: “Just keeping balling, I want to know this defense so well that I don’t have to think. If I don’t have to think and I could just react, when the quarterback throws the ball I could be in perfect position.”
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