Miami had been waiting for a long time for this kind of magic. The Hurricanes, long teased by near misses and “almost” seasons, are in the College Football Playoff for the first time in a long time. And leading the charge?
Not a seasoned quarterback or a heralded transfer, Malachi Toney was a true freshman with hands that made defenders question every life choice they’d ever made.
A Look at Whether Malachi Toney Is Related to Kadarius Toney
In his first season, Malachi caught 99 passes for 1,089 yards and nine touchdowns, an anchor for Miami’s offense. The last name “Toney” catches the eye, especially in Florida, where football fans’ brains immediately whisper.
Kadarius? It’s an understandable connection, with them both being explosive playmakers with their electrifying runs, and a last name that sounds like it belongs in highlight reels. But Malachi’s story, while it has echoes of the pros, is entirely his own.
Here’s the first thing you need to know: Malachi is not related to Kadarius Toney.
Despite the shared surname and shared knack for making defenders look confused, Kadarius and Malachi come from entirely different corners of the country. Kadarius hails from Mobile, Alabama, played college ball at Florida, and was drafted No. 20 overall by the New York Giants.
He won two Super Bowls with Kansas City but never became the consistent star some envisioned, finishing his four NFL seasons with 82 receptions for 760 yards and 4 total touchdowns.
Malachi grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a stone’s throw from the Atlantic but worlds away from Alabama’s football roots. Their paths have not crossed in blood or family tree, just in name.
A four-star recruit from American Heritage in the same city, he had offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and nearly every top program in the country. However, he skipped his senior year of high school to enroll early at Miami. It was a gamble, and for Malachi and the Hurricanes, it worked.
Now, at 18 years old, he’s preparing to cap off his freshman season with a national title game against Indiana at Hard Rock Stadium. The NFL isn’t on the immediate horizon, as he won’t be draft eligible until 2028, but scouts are already circling.
Malachi’s father also shares the name of an NFL star: Antonio Brown. Undrafted out of West Virginia in 2022, according to Sporting News, Brown started in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before moving to the NFL. He played with Buffalo in 2003 and Washington from 2004 to 2005, mainly as a return specialist.
