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#45View official profile Roster source checked Aug 28, 2026, 9:48 AM EDT · career figures change only when a source publishes new data
#45LinebackerActiveWVU confirmed
Malachi Hood
Senior · West Virginia Mountaineers
Height6' 2"
Weight228 lbs
HometownPlainfield, IL
Unitdefense
WVU Athletics source
Complete WVU record
ClassRedshirt Senior
High schoolJoliet Catholic
Previous schoolIllinois
Official hometownPlainfield, Ill.
2025 (r-Jr.) – Illinois
- Played linebacker, appearing in 13 games with eight starts
- Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors
- Finished fifth on the team with 44 tackles, including 28 solos, one sack and 2.5 tackles for loss
- Produced one pass breakup, one forced fumble and had one fumble recovery on the year
- Had five tackles, including two solo stops, a sack and a tackle for loss in the Music City Bowl
- Recorded a career-high six tackles in wins over Western Michigan and Northwestern
- Also forced a fumble against Northwestern
- Tallied five tackles with three solo stops against Ohio State
- Added four tackles with a fumble recovery in win at Duke
- Registered four solo tackles, including one tackle for loss in win over Western Illinois
2024 (r-So.) – Illinois
- Appeared in 12 games
- Earned Academic All-Big Ten
- Finished the season with 14 tackles, including eight solo stops
- Added two sacks and two forced fumbles and added a fumble recovery and a pass breakup
- Registered two sacks and two forced fumbles against Northwestern
- Recovered his first career fumble against Michigan
2023 (r-Fr.) – Illinois
- Suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason training camp
2022 (Fr.) – Illinois
- Made his only appearance of the season against Northwestern
- Redshirted
High School
- Played strong safety and running back for coach Jake Jaworski at Joliet Catholic High
- Three-year letterwinner
- Led Joliet Catholic to the 2021 IHSA 4A state championship and No. 2-ranking in Illinois
- Part of a defense that held its opponents to 16.9 points a game
Personal
- Son of Michael and Josephine Hood
- One of three children (1 brother, 1 sister)
- Cousin, Marcus Hood, played linebacker at Illinois from 1997-2000
- Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Illinois in August 2025
- Pursuing a master’s degree in business administration
Career record
Available statistics
No individual statistics are currently published for this player or position.