2018 Football Roster
Roster
Malik Dear
- Position:
- WR
- Height:
- 5-9
- Weight:
- 225
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Jackson, MS
- High School/Previous School:
- Murrah HS
2018 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
CAREER: Versatile wide receiver who spent five seasons with the program … Returned to the field in 2018 after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in March of 2017 … Played “Z” receiver most of his career and contributed some at running back … Quick feet and was key in the return game … Played in 47 games with nine starts and accounted for six touchdowns … Two-time graduate of MSU … Earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in December of 2018 and then earned his master’s degree in workforce education leadership in December 2019.
2019 SENIOR SEASON: Played in all 13 games as a reserved wideout and primary punt returner … Caught three passes for 36 yards and rushed three times for four yards … Longest catch of the year was 20 yards … Returned seven punts for 52 yards with a long of 40 … Caught two passes for 28 yards, including a season-long 20-yarder, in the win vs. Kentucky (9/21) … Had one reception for eight yards in the victory at Arkansas (11/2) … Also rushed twice for four yards against the Razorbacks.
2018 REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON: Appeared in 11 games … Bulk of his action came in the return game, taking over as a kick and punt returner following an injury to Brian Cole … Made one reception for 12 yards over his junior campaign … Recorded three punt returns for a total of nine yards … Returned two kickoffs for a total of 54 yards … Averaged 27.0 yards per kick return … Made a 12-yard reception vs. Louisiana (9/15) … It marked his return to the field for the first time since suffering an ACL injury in March of 2017 … Fielded his first kick return of the season for a 27-yard gain vs. Louisiana Tech (11/3) … Matched his season-long kick return of 27 yards at Ole Miss (11/22) … Returned three punts on the season, including a career-high two punt returns in the Outback Bowl vs. Iowa (1/1) … Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
2017 JUNIOR SEASON: Redshirted and did not see any action after recovering from a torn ACL in spring practice.
2016 SOPHOMORE SEASON: Appeared in 12 games while starting in nine of them … Ranked third on the squad in receiving with 23 catches for 264 yards and two scores … Totaled four catches for 41 yards at UMass (9/24), including a 23-yard catch in the second quarter … Caught three passes for 32 yards the following week vs. Auburn (10/8) … Recorded his first rushing yards of the season at BYU (10/14) and finished the game with 17 yards on three rushes as well as 36 receiving yards on three catches … On a career-high five carries, ran for a career-high 77 yards, including a 45-yard TD dash in the second quarter at Kentucky (10/22) … Against Samford (10/29), caught four passes for a season-high 61 receiving yards and one touchdown … Scored crucial second-quarter touchdown on a play-action pass from Nick Fitzgerald against Ole Miss (11/26).
2015 TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON: Played in 11 games with no starts in debut campaign … Rushed for 110 yards on 11 carries with one touchdown and added 22 catches for 217 yards and two scores … Tallied three receptions for 46 yards and ran once for a gain of 19 vs. Northwestern State (9/19) … Scored his first career touchdown on a 52-yard run at No. 14 Texas A&M (10/3), while also finishing with two receptions for 23 yards … Became the first true freshman since 2009 to have at least six receptions in a game in the Louisiana Tech (10/17) home win, making six grabs for 70 yards … Did not play in the Missouri or Alabama games due to ankle injury … Caught two TDs and ran three times for 30 yards in the Egg Bowl against No. 18 Ole Miss (11/28).
HIGH SCHOOL: A consensus four-star athlete by every major recruiting website … Ranked in the ESPN300 of 2015 (No. 206) … Played wide receiver, quarterback and running back … Ranked the No. 5 player in the state by 247Sports and the No. 4 player by ESPN.com and Rivals.com … Timed in the 40-yard dash with a 4.4 … The top all-purpose athlete in the state by Scout.com and the No. 6 overall player … Finished his high school career with 3,298 rushing yards and 2,410 receiving yards … Racked up 84 total touchdowns in four seasons (56 rushing, 26 receiving, two special teams) … As a senior, tallied 322 yards rushing on 37 carries with 12 rushing touchdowns … Added 165 yards receiving and seven scores through the air … Displayed his explosive and big-play capability by averaging 11.1 yards per carry and 19.0 yards per reception for his career … Member of the Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen … Selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl following his senior season … As a junior, totaled 1,893 yards and 26 total touchdowns in 2013 … Coached by Zackare Grady … Committed to Mississippi State in June 2014.
PERSONAL: Born Malik Dionte Dear on Sept. 20, 1996 … Nickname is “Weeble” … Son of Lakeshia and Marcus Dear … Has three younger siblings – Damian, Marcus and Sanaa … Father of three sons – Malik Jr., Cailon and Wren.
DEAR’S CAREER HIGHS:
Receptions: 6, vs. LA Tech (10-17-15)
Receiving Yards: 70, vs. LA Tech (10-17-15)
Receiving TDs: 2, vs. Ole Miss (11-28-15)
Long Reception: 27, vs. LA Tech (10-17-15)
Rushes: 5, at Kentucky (10-22-16)
Rushing Yards: 77, at Kentucky (10-22-16)
Long Rush: 52, at Texas A&M (10-3-15)
Punt Returns: 2, (3x), last vs LSU (10-19-19)
Punt Return Yards: 40, at Louisiana (8-31-19)
Long Punt Return: 40, at Louisiana (8-31-19)
Kick Returns: 4, vs. Arkansas (11-19-16)
Kick Return Yards: 56, vs. LA Tech (10-17-15)
Long Kick Return: 34, vs. LA Tech (10-17-15)
