Former Putnam County football standout Malik Thornton has found his new college home.
Last November, Thornton entered the transfer portal after three seasons at the University of the Cumberlands. He announced last week that he is transferring to Samford University for his final year of eligibility.
Thornton is pleased to be relocating closer to Eatonton, as Samford is situated in Homewood, Alabama, just outside of Birmingham. He spent the previous three years in Williamsburg, Kentucky, during his time at UC.
Thornton is also happy to be moving to the Division I level after playing in the NAIA the last three years.
“It was an opportunity to play closer to home so my family could make more games, and an opportunity to prove myself at the D1 level,” Thornton said to The Eatonton Messenger about why he chose to play for the Bulldogs..
Thornton mentioned that his decision “came down to two schools,” but after visiting both, Samford felt like home.
“How could I stay out of the red, white, and blue with me being in it my whole life?” Thornton said.
Thornton was a standout at Putnam County, especially during his senior season. The War Eagles finished with a 12-1 overall record in 2021. They were eliminated from the postseason by the eventual state champion Fitzgerald in the Elite Eight, but still achieved a great deal. The 2021 squad, coached by Shaun Pope, was the first to win double-digit games since 1996 and the first team since 2010 to secure a region title.
Pope also spoke highly of Thornton, discussing his character and praising his athletic abilities.
“He’s a special young man,” Pope told The Eatonton Messenger in 2023. “We all knew he could play ball well. He’s not going to ‘wow’ you with his speed or anything like that, but his instincts and toughness are great.”
Thornton went on to become a star at the University of the Cumberlands. The 6-foot, 185-pounder finished his career with 54 tackles, seven interceptions, five coming in his sophomore season, and 18 pass breakups as a Patriot.
Thornton earned the Mid-South Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year award in 2022. He was selected for the MSC All-Conference First Team in 2023 and the MSC All-Conference Second Team in 2024.
Thornton was also named the NAIA Player of the Week and the MSC Player of the Week in 2024.
At Samford, Thornton will play for head coach Chris Hatcher, who is from Macon and played at Valdosta State University in the early 1990s. He began his coaching career at the University of Central Florida in 1996.
“I’m excited to play for Coach Hatcher,” Thornton said. “We connected well since we’re both middle Georgia guys.”