Will THEREALMALIK [Butler], please stand up! @Malikbutler23 @FSFootball @FSHSathletics @minguabeefjerky @1776Bank @840WHAS

No. 55 is "The Real Malik Butler"

’26 FB/DE has all he intangibles to prove he is the truth

Malik Butler plays for one of the more storied traditions in western Kentucky. The Franklin-Simpson Wildcats have won 4-titles and had a resurgent year in ’23. One reason for the resurgence is its 6’3,” 240-pound prospect who just completed his sophomore season, Malik Butler. Butler runs the 40-yard dash in 5.1-seconds, has an enviable frame, has plenty of length, and is a 3.0 student. This guy is the truth.

HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball

Hudl Profile

KHSAA Statistics

Sophomore Season, end of year, Highlights

There was a game-show I used to watch during the day, when I was a child, entitled “To Tell the Truth. The show had a simple format and was endlessly entertaining.

THEREALMALIK

What made me think of this was the “X” handle of today’s feature, Malik Butler, from Franklin-Simpson HS. His handle is “THEREALMALIK.” How this summoned up memories of an old show will be apparent in just a few moments.

Three challengers are introduced to start the show, two of whom are imposters and the third is the real McCoy. Questions are asked of the challengers by a panelist and some guest stars and they are to attempt to determine which of the three on the dais is the real person the panelist described to open the show.

The central person, who will be later revealed, is sworn to give truthful answers. The challengers are referred to by numbers, “Number one, Number two, etc.,” and not by name.

At the end of the questioning, the guest stars attempt to reveal who he or she believes is the subject of the show. When all guesses are in, the panelist says, “Will the real [person’s name] please stand up?” The real person then stands.

In ’23, Butler had 38-tackles, two (2)-TFLs, two (2) QB-sacks, and an INT

KHSAA Statistical Website

The KHSAA high school football game show (if you will) has a way of conducting the self-same exercise. We watch prospects play. We pour over a prospect’s statistics. We pour over the prospect’s dimensions. Then, after four years of roster inclusion, game film, combines, and on-field production; we ask, “Will the real Saturday player, please stand up!”

There he is…the Real McCoy

Most of the time, we get the bone fide, real deal. Other times, an imposter or two slips through a crack in our door.

Malik Butler, from Franklin-Simpson, wants you to know he is authentic. Butler wants you to know he is the real deal.

His dimensions bear witness to that being true. So far, his on-field production gives a similar testimony.

Butler is 6’3,” and weighs in at 240-pounds. He primarily played on defense for a team which won nine (9)-games in ’23 and looked more like the Franklin-Simpson of the not too distant past than what has been repping the program the last handful of seasons.

Butler had 38-tackles, two (2)-TFLs, two (2) QB-sacks, and an INT. Playing for a nine (9) win team like Franklin-Simpson, and only being a sophomore, makes that production right impressive.

Butler is still young. Butler is 6’3,” and weighs 240-pounds.

Butler’s strength, power, explosion, and even his speed will be honed through effort and work in the weight room and at the combine/showcase level

Friday Night Fletch

Butler’s strength, power, explosion, and even his speed will be honed through effort and work in the weight room and at the combine/showcase level. Right now, the young man has been clocked at 5.1-seconds in the 40-yard dash; which isn’t blistering at DE but is quite good if you slide this guy down into the interior.

That 3.0 GPA is the real deal. So, in keeping with our game show theme, “Would the real Malik Butler please stand up?” Yep, there he is…

This is Fletcher W. Long, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!

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About Fletcher Long 1598 Articles
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

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