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Jersey Number 24
Malik Esquerra
- Position:
- Safety
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Killeen, Texas
- High School:
- Shoemaker
2025 SEASON (SOPHOMORE)
2024 SEASON (FRESHMAN)
HIGH SCHOOL
PERSONAL
- Saw an increased role as a sophomore, appearing in all 14 games either on special teams or as a reserve safety โฆ played in at least one defensive snap in 12 different games overall as the primary backup to Cole Wisniewski โฆ member of three special teams units as a main contributor on kickoff coverage, kickoff return and punt returns.ย
- Totaled eight tackles (5 solo), which came over four games โฆ combined for three tackles during non-conference play with one stop in the season-opening win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff (8/30) and two versus Oregon State (9/13) โฆ saw time defensively late in blowout wins over both Oklahoma State (10/25) and UCF (11/15), delivering two tackles versus the Cowboys and then a career-high three stops against the Knights โฆ one of his three tackles against UCF came as part of kickoff coverage.
- Credited with 139 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus with the vast majority coming during non-conference play โฆ reached double-digit snaps on defense in five different games - all at home versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kent State (9/6), Oregon State, Kansas (10/11) and Oklahoma State โฆ was fifth on the team with 160 snaps on special teams, including 41 on kickoff return, which was tied for second overall.ย
2024 SEASON (FRESHMAN)
- Appeared in the final two games of his freshman season against West Virginia (11/30) and Arkansas (12/27) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl ... listed as the backup to C.J. Baskerville at safety for the final month of the season starting with the road trip to Iowa State (11/2) ... scout team member.ย
- Made a tackle in each contest with one coming on defense against West Virginia โฆ picked up valuable playing time in the win over the Mountaineers with 21 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus โฆ recorded his other tackle as part of kickoff coverage against the Razorbacks.ย
HIGH SCHOOL
- Attended Shoemaker High Schoolย in Killeen, Texas โฆ the Wolves advanced to the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons in 2023 under head coach Toby Foreman โฆ Shoemaker finished 7-4 and 5-3 in District 4-5A before falling to eventual Class 5A Division I state champion Aledo, 27-6, in the first round of the playoffs.
- Named a first team All-District selection on defense as both a junior and a senior โฆ as a senior, was the co-league leader with four interceptions with two of those returned for a touchdown ... tallied 57 tackles overall, 45 of which were solo stops, to go along with 3.0 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three pass breaks ups in addition to the four interceptions.
- Recognized as a 2023 week eight area all-star after a 42-0 win over Waco High where he scooped a blocked punt and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown ... added one of his four interceptions on the season in the shutout win as well.ย
- Logged four interceptions as a junior in addition to 68 tackles, 53 of which were solo stops, 2.0 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and one pass breakup โฆ named to the 2023 Academic All-District team โฆ named to the A-B honor roll and was a member of superintendent advisory council.
- Member of the Shoemaker track and field team โฆ won the Class 5A state title in the 110-meter hurdles after running a 13.72 to cap his high school career ... the performance completed a gold-laden run to state, having won the District 22-5A meet (13.69), area meet (14.35) and the regional meet (13.81) ... also placed third in the state championship in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 37.17 ... his best times of his senior season ranked seventh in the state of Texas and 24th nationally in 110-meter hurdles (13.69) and 12th in Texas and 34th nationally in the 300-meter hurdles (37.17) ... over four seasons on the track team, was a four-time regional qualifier and finished as the owner of the school record for both the 110 and 300-meter hurdles.
- Committed to Texas Tech on July 15, 2023 โฆ consensusย three-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN, On3ย and 247Sports โฆ ranked as 247sportsโ 57th-best prospect in the state of Texas and the 41st-best safety prospect in the country โฆ listed as a top-100 prospect in the state of Texas by On3, 247Sports and Rivals ...ย CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Nebraska, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Texas A&M, TCU and Vanderbilt.
PERSONAL
- Malik Elijah Esquerra โฆ born in Fort Hood, Texas โฆ son of Tarik and Kamia Esquerra ... has three siblings in Kamari, Kai and Kira.
- A sportย management major at Texas Tech.
Tuesday, September 22
Tuesday, September 22
Tuesday, September 22
Tuesday, September 22
