NIU recruit Dyllan Malone set to lead deep Yorkville receiving corps

Dyllan Malone stands a healthy 6-foot-3, but the Yorkville rising senior receiver claims that he is still supposed to grow even taller.

Malone isn’t one to put limits on himself.

When he started the college recruiting process Malone heard from people that he could potentially go Division II. Hearing that pushed the naturally hard-working Malone even more.

“Watching my film from freshman year to sophomore to last year, I felt I can do better than that. I know I can,” Malone said. “I got better, played 7-on-7, worked on my routes, the little things that really help me stand out.”

Malone stood out to NIU, who extended a scholarship offer in February. Malone committed to NIU in April from five offers.

He will be a standout this fall for a deep recruiting class at Yorkville, which is coming off a 6-4 season that concluded with the program’s first conference championship in 34 years.

“Dyllan, Dillon Jaskowski, Eli Walton, Colton Spychalski, that’s four good receivers. It’s been a long time since we’ve had this kind of depth at receiver,” Yorkville coach Dan McGuire said. “The last two years we’ve been extremely deep at receiver. We have five or six kids that can do some damage for us. We are lucky to have those kids.”

McGuire’s Yorkville program, which has made five consecutive playoff appearances, has been blessed with next-level talent during that stretch.

But even McGuire admitted he hasn’t had a talent quite like Malone at the skill position.

Malone, going into his third varsity season, had 28 catches for 350 yards and a touchdown as a junior.

“You combine his athleticism and talent, he is a difference-maker. We have not had many kids like Dyllan Malone in my years of coaching,” McGuire said. “You can’t coach his length and speed.

“That combination, and he has a great work ethic. Too often you hear kids say they’re going to focus on this and that and they don’t actually do what they say they will do. He is one that said ‘I want to be a Division I football player’ and he went out and did it. It had nothing to do with any of us.”

Indeed, Malone routinely will remain at the Yorkville field after practice, catching close to 100 balls to get his hands right and fine tune his releases.

He goes to NIU to train with a couple players and also works with his trainer on his speed. Malone was part of Yorkville’s state-qualifying 4x400 relay in track this past spring, and has his 40-yard dash time down to 4.53.

“I think you can ask any coach on this team and they’ll tell you that I have grown a lot,” Malone said. “It’s the difference in me going up to get the ball with my hands and speed. I think track helped me a lot with that with my strength and speed. I can beat a guy on a post. My work, it’s all come together.”

Malone attended a couple camps at NIU, and on a visit to DeKalb Huskies’ coach Thomas Hammock pulled him aside and extended an offer.

He still has a year of high school remaining, but Malone sounds like a kid eager to make his mark at the next level.

“I see videos, and hear how hard they work. I feel like with that viewpoint I need to work harder myself to get ahead, or even get a spot on that starting team,” Malone said. “Every time I think about work I tell myself I need to push myself a step further. That’s been my mindset.”

Who gets Malone the ball this fall is yet undecided, as senior Jack Ferguson and junior Jack Beetham are in competition for Yorkville’s starting quarterback job. Both started as sophomores.

Just as significant a question is how the Foxes will look up front, after graduating five of their top six linemen.

“Our skill players, we have some kids that have got a lot of experience,” McGuire said, “but in our league everything starts up front. That is our biggest issue. I think we have some good pieces; I just have to put them in the right spot and do a good job coaching them. It’s lack of experience, not lack of talent.”

McGuire knows one thing – he doesn’t have to worry about Malone in terms of both talent and character.

“He might be one of the nicest kids I’ve ever met. Nice, respectful, he is ‘Yes sir, no sir,’” McGuire said. “And he works hard. You can’t ask for anything more in terms of personality.

“He has a great work ethic, he’s put some weight on and you can tell his confidence is sky-high. I’m excited. We have to find ways to get him the football.”