Malik Esquerra

2024 SEASON (FRESHMAN) Redshirt season … scout team member … appeared in the final two games of the season against West Virginia (11/30) and Arkansas (12/27) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Made a tackle in each contest with one coming on defense against West Virginia … picked up valuable playing time in the win over the Mountaineers with 21 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus … recorded his other tackle as part of kickoff coverage against the Razorbacks. Previously 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). HIGH SCHOOL Attended Shoemaker High School in Killeen, Texas … the Wolves advanced to the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons in 2023 under head coach Toby Foreman … 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 … 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. 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 … named to the 2023 Academic All-District team … named to the A-B honor roll and was a member of superintendent advisory council. Member of the Shoemaker track and field team … 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 … consensus three-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN, On3 and 247Sports … ranked as 247sports’ 57th-best prospect in the state of Texas and the 41st-best safety prospect in the country … listed as a top-100 prospect in the state of Texas by On3, 247Sports and Rivals ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Nebraska, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Texas A&M, TCU and Vanderbilt. PERSONAL Malik Elijah Esquerra … born in Fort Hood, Texas … son of Tarik and Kamia Esquerra ... has three siblings in Kamari, Kai and Kira. A sports management major at Texas Tech.