Former Razorback quarterback, Arkansas high school coach Ryan Mallett has died

White Hall (Ark.) High School head coach Ryan Mallett died on Tuesday, White Hall School District confirmed. Deltaplex News reported Mallett drowned at a Destin, Fla., beach, and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. He was 35 years old. 

Mallett is best remembered as arguably the top quarterback to ever put on an Arkansas Razorback uniform. A product of Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas, Mallett stood 6-foot-6 and possessed an uncommonly strong arm, traits that made him one of the top recruits in the class of 2007, as well as one of four high school passers to join Earl Campbell on the 2006 cover of Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine, an extremely rare honor for a high school player. 

Mallett signed with Michigan out of high school, then transferred to Arkansas upon the retirement of Lloyd Carr and the hiring of Bobby Petrino. After sitting out the 2008 season due to transfer rules at the time, Mallett stepped in as the starter in 2009 and threw for 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns in two seasons. A 2-time Second Team All-SEC honoree, Mallett led Arkansas to a 10-3 mark, a Sugar Bowl appearance and a No. 12 final ranking in 2010.

He entered the NFL draft in 2011 and was a third round pick of the New England Patriots. Mallett played seven seasons for the Patriots, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens.

Mallett entered coaching at White Hall, in between Little Rock and Pine Bluff, in 2020 and was promoted to head coach in 2022. 

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