Former Jackson State and Tennessee football wide receiver Malachi Wideman could be in the NFL soon after being granted eligibility for Tuesday's supplemental draft, the NFL's first since 2019.
The supplemental draft is for draft-eligible players who didn't enter the NFL draft and are unable to return to college football.
Wideman and Purdue receiver Milton Wright are the only two players eligible for the supplemental draft.
Wideman, a 6-foot-5 190-pound receiver, was recruited out of Venice High School in Florida as a two-sport athlete.
He started his playing career at Tennessee in 2020, caught one pass for 24 yards and transferred to play for Deion Sanders at Jackson State.
Wideman caught 34 passes for 540 yards and tied for the SWAC lead with 12 touchdowns in his first season at JSU.
But as a junior last season, he caught just three passes for 49 yards and a TD.
The NFL supplemental draft has produced a slew of under-the-radar talents, such as Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor in 2011,
Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon in 2012 and Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson in 2019.
Any team that chooses a player in the supplemental draft will submit a bid for the player and give up a corresponding pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.